OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — In August, we brought you the story of Freddie.
A dog who was found neglected and starving in Ottawa County.
While his former owner is facing charges and Freddie has recovered at Harbor Humane Society, staff say he’s beginning to decline at the shelter.
They’re hoping to place Freddie with a foster, or better yet, in a forever home for the holidays.
There’s nothing Freddie loves more than playing with toys and eating yummy treats.
You wouldn’t know it by this sweet smile, but he’s had a rough start to life.
“Freddie has been with us since February. He came in as a law enforcement seizure,” Andrea Brink with Harbor Humane Society said “He was very, very thin. He only weighed about 30 pounds when he came in and now, he is healthy 60 pounds.”
Freddie has come a long way in just a few months, but staff say he’s not doing well in the shelter environment.
“There's always barking, you know, everyone's always on alert. The dogs, have a hard time sleeping sometimes because they are very aware of every little noise and all the other dogs. You can tell a dog is mentally declining by the way that they act in their kennel. Sometimes they'll circle a lot or wine a lot, just not be themselves,” Brink said.
The shelter is hoping to place Freddie in a foster home.
“Harbor provides you with all of the necessary tools to foster we provide the food, the toys, the crate, the blankets, the medical care with our onsite vet, basically, you are just there to love on the dog and to give us a great view of what the dog is like outside of the shelter,” Brink said.
Freddie is still learning to trust and can’t be in a home with small children or cats. He can potentially go into a home with another dog.
“He's very content to just lay on his bed and chew on, you know, a squeaker or he loves peanut butter from the Kong, loves to go for walks. He is very curious,” Brink said.
Once Freddie is relaxed, he’s ready to jump on the couch and snuggle.
“He really is a sweet boy. He's really come out of his shell since he's been here. He was very shut down when he came in. He is a staff favorite. Everyone loves to go out and play with him. So, it's hard for us to see him declining mentally,” Brink said.
While the primary goal is to find him a foster, the staff are hoping he will find his forever home before Christmas.
If you’re interested in fostering or adopting Freddie, click, here.
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