The Zaffiris of Mullica Hill, N.J., wanted a dog and were able to look beyond the superficial and find two diamonds in the rough. The first, Hammer, a.k.a. Ozzie, originally came from an open-admission shelter in West Virginia. Pennsylvania-based Furry Friends Network transported
him to New Jersey where he met the Zaffiris. Despite his poor condition, they opted to adopt him.
"He had mange and was almost hairless and stunk to high heaven," Christina Zaffiri recalls. "He scratched constantly due to itching from the mange." His condition made it all the more clear to Christina that the dog needed to find a home fast or he might end up being euthanized. They adopted him, mange and all, and after a visit to the vet, medication and many, many baths, Hammy, as they call him, was like a new dog.
A year passed, and the Zaffiris decided to give another dog a
second chance. Once again, they logged onto Petfinder. There they
spotted Stinkerbell. She was listed on the site by Grainger County
Humane Society in Tennessee, and her story was heart-wrenching. She had
been thrown out of a moving car and was missing the skin on
three of her paw pads. More than 200 ticks were feeding on her seven-week-old body when she was brought to the shelter.
She, too, was transported to New Jersey, and the Zaffiris, including Hammy, welcomed her. The family also soon welcomed a human baby -- and the two dogs watch over him.
"Stinkerbell thinks that she is the momma," says Christina. "Sometimes these poor unwanted souls require a bit more work, but in the end, it's all worth it. They somehow know you were their savior. Their unconditional love and loyalty is amazing."
Previous Happy Tails:
Saving a starved and scarred Pit Bull
An abandoned cat comes in from the cold
A puppy-mill Chihuahua learns to live outside a cage
Sacrificing to save an abused, overlooked pit bull
A sick, abandoned puppy's incredible before & after pics
Someone sees beauty under the scars
A 'wild' Chinese Crested puppy comes home
A dad with Alzheimer's gets a 'miracle dog'
The rock-star cat who looks like a polar bear
A senior Dalmatian loses weight, gains new life
Lovebirds go from hoarder to happy home
A former bait dog finds safety and love
A perfect match is worth waiting for
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The victim of a cruel prank finds happiness
A rescued Border Collie mends a broken heart
She, too, was transported to New Jersey, and the Zaffiris, including Hammy, welcomed her. The family also soon welcomed a human baby -- and the two dogs watch over him.
"Stinkerbell thinks that she is the momma," says Christina. "Sometimes these poor unwanted souls require a bit more work, but in the end, it's all worth it. They somehow know you were their savior. Their unconditional love and loyalty is amazing."
Previous Happy Tails:
Saving a starved and scarred Pit Bull
An abandoned cat comes in from the cold
A puppy-mill Chihuahua learns to live outside a cage
Sacrificing to save an abused, overlooked pit bull
A sick, abandoned puppy's incredible before & after pics
Someone sees beauty under the scars
A 'wild' Chinese Crested puppy comes home
A dad with Alzheimer's gets a 'miracle dog'
The rock-star cat who looks like a polar bear
A senior Dalmatian loses weight, gains new life
Lovebirds go from hoarder to happy home
A former bait dog finds safety and love
A perfect match is worth waiting for
A deformed kitten gets a happy ending
The victim of a cruel prank finds happiness
A rescued Border Collie mends a broken heart
These dogs are just beautiful! I can't believe that someone could possibly be cruel to them. They must be very lucky to whomever adopted them! They seem very loving and friendly. It looks like they have a wonderful forever home. Good luck to the adopters!