Springer rescue Casey gets a new lease on life

I have had a love affair with Springers for many years and a soft spot in my heart for the work that English Springer Rescue America has done.

About 10 years ago, we commissioned Jim Killen to paint a portrait of (our late dog) Grady. After a few years, Jim decided that Grady's portrait should be printed. In exchange, we received a number of them for our own use. That year at the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, we visited the Springer Rescue booth. We decided to donate some of the prints to the group in hopes that they may be able to generate some money from them.

One day I logged on to the rescue organization's Web site to view the pictures and read the stories of the Springers housed in foster homes. One jumped out at me. It was the most beautiful black and white boy named Casey. I read his story and couldn't wait to show him to my wife. When she saw him she said "Call them, I want him!" Wow, Becky never jumps at things like that.

That night I sent an e-mail to Pam Civilie, the Carolinas coordinator for the rescue group. Casey was being fostered by Pam and her husband, Mark. Pam called the next day and told me that she was the one that we had given the prints to and that she knew we were "Springer people" and if we wanted to bring Casey into our home, it was OK by her. It was decided that we would meet halfway between our homes and she would transfer Casey to us for a trial run and sleep over.

Casey's story prior to joining the Neuhaus family (has) a lot of missing information. This much we know: Casey belonged to a family in North Carolina. Was he a purebred? No one knows. But by looking at him you can't help but think that he came from good stock. He was dropped off at a shelter at the age of 4 1/2. Did he live with only one family or had he been passed around? We will never know. The people at the shelter were told he was too exuberant with the family's children. He is a Springer. They are supposed to be exuberant. The vet that checked him out labeled him "aggressive." Duh! His world has just been totally turned upside down. They also said his name was Sidney but he would not respond to that name. A word game was played and as soon as he heard the name Casey he perked up. Was this his way of trying to forget his previous life?

He also seemed to mistrust women and would tend to get aggressive when placed in a crate. He suffered from a mild form of separation anxiety and would get excited when he saw a sport utility vehicle. He had never been neutered but he was in great physical shape. He obviously had been well-fed and had not a trace of any physical problems.

We pulled up next to their vehicle, put Tripp on a leash and walked toward Mark and Casey. Becky went right over and dropped down on her knees to greet him. I handed Tripp to Pam and walked over to greet him in the same manner. Casey bared his teeth, growled and snapped at me. I safely pulled my hand back in shock. This was not what I had expected and my first thought was to get back in the truck and drive back home. After a few moments I took the leash and proceeded to walk him around.

This seemed to break the ice and in short order the eyes softened and he leaned into me for support and affection. We agreed to give it a try and headed back toward home.

There have been some bumps along the way, but the road is getting smoother. He exhibited some aggression towards some visitors to our home. All were female and they did nothing to provoke him. Working with a dog trainer has helped me become a better trainer and I have shown Casey that I am in control. A major part of this is exercise. By that I mean the type of exercise that has his tongue dragging on the ground. He also has been getting training that includes all the obedience stuff that every dog should have. I can't erase all the bad stuff that has happened to him. I only hope that his new life is so good that he shoves all the bad stuff to a place he never has to visit or remember again.

Patrick Neuhaus

Mount Pleasant

Compiled by Brenda Rindge. Got a pet? Tell us about it. We want to tell your stories and run your pictures of Rover, Boots and even Ziggy on our Pet Plus page. If it's furry, feathered or slithery, and you love it, tell us why. If it's a hero, tell us. If it's a 'character,' share the antics. Send pictures (in .jpg format via e-mail) or a hard copy by snail mail that you don't need returned). We'll publish the most interesting, the cutest and the weirdest, but please no poetry and no letters from your dog or cat. Submit by e-mail to pets@ postandcourier.com or mail to Pets, The Post and Courier, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, SC 29403-4800. Always include your name, address and a daytime phone number.

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