One day in 2006, a young, bouncy female dog followed a volunteer from a nearby town to a very large, very full shelter in the mountains. She was beautiful, sweet, playful and a typically jumpy and naughty teenage dog.
We were at that time volunteering and trying to help at that shelter. We saw her come in to the shelter, and worried because without training young dogs like this seldom get adopted.
Sadly,  this is exactly what happened to Somalia. She was put in a pen and overlooked for years. Indeed, she was overlooked for her whole life.
Last June we asked volunteer Jenna to mention her when she visited the shelter. To our dismay and immense sadness, she reported that Somalia was STILL there. She also took a photo of her lying in her pen. Although this grizzled, toothless old lady dog bore little resemblance to the frisky young dog we remembered, it was very clearly her. Our hearts broke for her.
When our sweet Lassie and Essie (also pulled from this facility) crossed the Rainbow Bridge in December, we discussed the possibility of bringing Somalia in to live out her life with our porch pack.
Somalia was in surprisingly good physical condition for a dog who has been institutionalised her whole life. She was dirty of course, and had a raw, itchy hind end with a large lump at the base of her tail. Her few remaining teeth were horribly rotten, and had to be pulled. She developed an abscess in her lower jaw after the dental, but that has finally healed.
Her hind end has healed and the lump above her tail appears to be a lipoma.
Somalia could not have fit herself into our porch dog pack more seamlessly. She acts like she has lived with them her whole life. She loves people and attention, and is a complete lap dog.  She  enjoys her “house time” when she comes in for breakfast and petting, and loves to tour the “lower 40”-the huge grassy back area. She has become an expert avocado hunter and has no trouble getting into them, even without her teeth! She has a bounce in her step and acts like a much younger dog.
We are so very happy to have this lovely old grey muzzle with us. She will be a wonderful companion for our older dogs, and we are thrilled to be able to give her the love and affection she waited ten long years to receive. Welcome home, sweet Somalia!

We would welcome a sponsor for sweet Somalia!