TN Death Row Dogs

Back in November of 2014, we received a plea for a stray mama dog who was in dire need of help.  She wasn't scheduled for euthanasia in a high kill shelter like most of the dogs that we rescue, but we knew we had to help her.  Raven had found a dog house in the neighborhood that she lived in to have her puppies.  She probably felt this was the safest place for them, where she could best keep them warm in the bitter winter cold.  When the homeowners discovered her in their dog house, they wanted her out of there.. immediately.

[caption id="attachment_1217" align="alignright" width="300"] Raven's puppies living in the dog house, prior to their rescue.


Over the last three months, these tiny babies grew a lot!  While they were growing up, we had posted them online and worked hard screening potential families.  Last week, they were finally old enough for their spay and neuter surgeries, after which they were able to go to their new families!  We wanted to share how much these little puppies grew and share their new family photos!



The first collage is Adeline with her new family, Bozley with his new dad (he also had a very excited mom and little boys waiting at home), and Cheyenne with her new mom.

In the second set of photos are DaVinci, Elise and Riddick.  All of these babies have settled into their new homes and are doing wonderfully!



We thank our adopters for making these precious babies members of their families!  We also thank everyone who donated to help us buy food, puppy pads and pay for their medical care.  We couldn't do what we do without the support of our generous donors!

Last month, we received a plea for help for Browning, a very young puppy with a severe case of mange.  Clearly in his condition, he didn't have people lining up to adopt him and needed immediate medical care.  A kind soul offered to foster him and we took him into our rescue.  Since then, his foster mom has made sure he made it to all of his vet appointments and followed his treatment instructions closely.

Today, Browning made it to his first adoption event and he looks like a totally different puppy!  He was spunky, playful and met a lot of admirers.  We wanted to share a before and after photo of his amazing progress!  Browning will soon be ready for his forever home and those looking to adopt him can fill out an adoption application via this link.

[caption id="attachment_1193" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Browning in the shelter on October 9th (left), and November 22nd at his first adoption event (right).

In the last couple of months, Gia has made amazing progress both physically and mentally. It's hard to believe she is the same dog that arrived, covered in hundreds of circular puncture wounds that looked like she was stabbed with an ice pick.  Her ears had also recently been cropped in a crude home chop job, completed with either a knife or a pair of scissors.  We can't imagine how incredibly painful that must have been and treating her double ear infection everyday was sheer terror for her. Gia has suffered a lot in her life, more than any dog should ever have to. Even still, with a painful skin infection all over her body, Gia let us treat her everyday. She knew that we were there to help and now that she is healthy, it's time for her to move into a foster or adoptive home. In her former life, she lived in a junkyard so Gia has a lot to learn about being in a home. She needs someone who can help her transition into the "normal" world. Gia is a very sweet, kind dog and she loves everyone she meets. She holds no grudges about her past life or treatment. Gia lives in the present and she is happy everyday for the second chance she was given. She would do best in a home with a respectful male, or as the only dog. She is fascinated by cats, as she is with many things that she has never experienced before. She also likes to jump on them and smack them with her paws, so she needs to go to a home with no cats!  If you're interested in adopting or fostering Gia, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.!

Recently I asked some of our adopters to write in and tell us how their dogs were doing so we could share them on our site.  Many of our dogs come from rough or unfortunate situations and find themselves awaiting euthanasia.  This is when we step in and if space/funds allow, we come to their rescue.

[caption id="attachment_807" align="alignright" width="168"] Bentley at our vet for his vaccinations, September 29, 2012.


Bentley came to our attention in an email plea from Lebanon Animal Control in 2012.  Their shelter was full and unfortunately they were going to have to euthanize dogs in order to make space for incoming dogs.  We see this often in shelters across Tennessee, as well as many of the other southern states.  There just seem to be more incoming dogs than there are people to adopt them.  Sadly so many wonderful dogs are euthanized every year simply for being homeless.  Bentley came very close to losing his life and we are so happy that we were able to come to his rescue.  It seems like just yesterday I was trying to cut the mats out of his hair.  I'm no groomer by any means so you should have seen the chop job I gave him lol.  At least he wasn't covered in mats anymore!

Bentley's mom Debbie writes:

[caption id="attachment_805" align="alignleft" width="242"] Bentley at our Photo Fundraiser, 2013. Photo credit: The amazing Kisa Kavass!


"We adopted Bentley in October of 2012 at the TSC in Spring Hill, TN.  We had been looking for several months.  After seeing his picture, I felt the search was over.  He was a little skinny thing with a big black spot on one hip.  Now he has filled out, his fur has gotten thick, the black spot is nearly completely covered in fur.  He is a super happy dog.  My daughter says, "Of course he is happy, he thinks he won the lottery".  He has filled our home with smiles every day at his antics.  We think there is a possibility that he got away from a circus  (it could happen).  He can leap huge distances and walk on his hind legs quite a ways if he thinks he can get a better view with his head held higher.  He sometimes reminds me of a deer when he runs.  In the evenings, he is a super cuddler.  What can I say?  It is a match made in Heaven.  Thank you TDRD".

Thank you Debbie for coming to one of our adoption events and making this sweet baby a part of your family!

[caption id="attachment_795" align="alignright" width="185"] Bear's shelter photo, May 21, 2012.


Recently I asked some of our adopters to write in and tell us how their dogs were doing so we could share them on our site.  Many of our dogs come from rough or unfortunate situations and find themselves awaiting euthanasia.  This is when we step in and if space/funds allow, we come to their rescue.

In May of 2012, I saw a picture of a mange covered dog named Beau on a euthanasia list at a high kill shelter and his sweet face stole my heart.  He looked as though he had lived a very hard life and I knew there was a family out there that would give him the life full of love he deserved.  Beau was transported to us and promptly was taken in for his vetting.  He was diagnosed with severe Demodectic Mange and was heartworm positive.  This was a setback in finding his home as we keep all of our dogs until they are healthy and ready for adoption.  After a month of antibiotics, Beau went through heartworm treatment and then was put on a month of cage rest.  Afterwards he found a foster home and started going to adoption events.  It wasn't long before Beau found his forever family after they saw his precious face online.  Beau is now Bear, and his mom shared with us how things have been going since he entered their home and their lives.

His mom Carol writes:

For all of those who have wondered what has happened to some of our special cases, I wanted to share their updates.  We take many dogs which I refer to as “medically challenged”.  They need a little extra time, medical care and TLC before they are able to be adopted.  Paisley has fought a hard battle, but today she looks beautiful.

[caption id="attachment_570" align="alignleft" width="300"] Before: A blurry picture of Paisley inside the shelter.


One Saturday, a rescue friend called to tell me she had a puppy for me.  She told me how starved and pitiful she looked on her walk through the shelter.  What impressed her the most was that Paisley didn't know she was starved or pitiful looking, she wanted her attention so badly.  I knew she wouldn't make it out in her condition so I knew we had to help her.  There was another puppy in the same kennel with her at the high kill shelter where they were and it didn't seem right to leave him behind so we took them both.

[caption id="attachment_573" align="alignright" width="300"] After: Paisley is ready for adoption!


A day or two after arriving at the vet near the shelter, they called to let me know that they suspected they both had Parvo so we had one tested.  Sadly, the test was positive and we started intense treatment immediately.  The other puppy taken with her was much healthier but a couple of days later lost his life to the virus.  Miraculously, Paisley fought Parvo with all she had and won.  This little starved puppy made it and we knew then that she was a fighter!

A month later, Paisley looks much different than the dog we pulled from the shelter.  She is happy, loving and most of all, spunky!  Paisley is going to make a great dog for a very lucky family and she is available for adoption now!

For all of those who have wondered what has happened to some of our special cases, I wanted to share their updates.  We take many dogs which I refer to as "medically challenged".  They need a little extra time, medical care and TLC before they are able to be adopted.  Grace's progress is nothing short of astounding.

[caption id="attachment_579" align="alignright" width="180"] Before: Grace pictured shortly after her arrival.


Grace was pulled from a high kill shelter where she came very close to losing her life.  She had a very severe case of Entropion, which caused her a great deal of pain and made her vision very limited.  Being disabled due to her vision made Grace an easy target for abuse.  She was reportedly punched and beaten in the face by some very cruel person and abandoned by her owners in this condition.  The bite scars and crusted blood were still present on her face upon arrival told just how recent her abuse was.  She was not only attacked by a person, but another dog leaving her littered with bites and what appeared to be cigarette burn marks on her hind quarters.

[caption id="attachment_580" align="alignleft" width="300"] After: Grace soaking up the sun on the porch of her foster home.


Our vets at the Animal Care Center of Carters Creek in Columbia performed two surgeries and gave Grace her vision back.  They did such an amazing job that it's hard to believe she is the same dog.  Shortly after, she was moved to a foster home with children and other dogs where she has thrived.  We have watched Grace slowly come out of her shy shell and start loving life.  She is currently available for adoption and is going to make some lucky family an amazing dog!