Saving Dogs at Toronto K9 Center

Saving Dogs

Saving One More Life at Toronto K9 Center | The true story of how Roger Richards loves saving dogs and, in this story, saved one more life, a German Shepherd called Minerva.

There was a time when Minerva’s future was unclear, but now she has found her rightful place. Brought in as a stray to the Bonnyville and District SPCA on July 2, Minerva was distant, showed aggression towards food, and wasn’t a fan of dogs or cats.

Judith Rodriguez, executive director of the SPCA, saw something in her that no one else had: potential. Her first impression of Minerva, a one-year-old German Shepherd, was that she was a handful. Rodriguez explained that she needed a strong hand, someone who cares about her but isn’t soft. Describing her as an intelligent, stubborn, and receptive animal, Rodriguez worked with Minerva on her behavior. Eventually, she earned Minerva’s trust and could feed her without being concerned she would be barked and growled at or bitten.

To train her further, Rodriguez knew she needed help. She reached out to the SPCA board and asked to bring in a training specialist to see if there was any way they could curb Minerva’s aggressive tendencies. After getting the green light, Rodriguez reached out to Kristi King, a dog trainer who works with animals with behavioral issues similar to Minerva’s. I called her and explained that we have a piece of work here for her but can’t pay for her services. She’s an angel; she said that’s okay and that she would come and meet her, detailed Rodriguez. In the end, they agreed that Minerva would never be released for adoption, even after working with her for days at a time.

Rodriguez explained that not all dogs are fit for all families. Every dog is different. In this case, Minerva was challenging because she wasn’t meant for any family. Not just a family with no kids or no dogs, she wasn’t for any family. She isn’t meant to be a pet; she is a working dog. King, the owner of the K-9 training academy that took Minerva on, said when she first met her, she was “very high-strung. To keep Minerva active while they continued to work on training, Rodriguez purchased a small pool. She loved it. She would jump and play so much in that tiny pool. She broke it in two days,” she laughed. Fifteen-minute walks weren’t nearly long enough for Minerva, so Rodriguez started coming in early to take her for longer ones.

On Sunday, Aug. 5, she and Minerva went for a run when Rodriguez stepped into a gopher hole. She held on tightly to Minerva, refusing to let go in case she would run away. Her reaction was to run back to me and pull my coat. She was trying to lift me up; she wanted to be sure I wasn’t hurt, detailed Rodriguez. The SPCA was unsure of Minerva’s future. They knew she was trainable, intelligent, and must be kept busy, but sadly, she wasn’t releasable through the SPCA adoption program. It was during one of Rodriguez’s brainstorming sessions that she received a phone call that would solidify Minerva’s destiny.

Saving Minerva

Kristi called me. I guess we were thinking about Minerva at the same time. She said that she had talked with a friend who works at the Toronto K9 Center, in Whitby Ontario, and Rodriguez said, adding that she was so thrilled that she was in tears. When Kristi called me, she said I just started crying because it was such a relief. With the board’s approval, Minerva will fly out to her new home in early September. Rodriguez is overjoyed to see Minerva find a future doing something she will love. Minerva is very confident; she has a powerful intensity when she works and really wants to work. Her drive is fantastic,” described King. When I met her that first day, I knew she needed a working home because she needed that stimulation to keep her balanced. The more she has to think, the more balanced she becomes. According to King, Minerva will finish her training with Roger Richards, the Master dog trainer at the Toronto K9 Center. Once she completes her training, Minerva will go to a permanent home where she works and lives full-time with her handler.

For Rodriguez, the end to Minerva’s story couldn’t be happier. I will miss her, but I’m very proud of her. King said there is a lesson to be learned from stories like Minerva’s. When people get these high-energy or working dog breeds, they should really think about the breed they’re getting before they get them… In Minerva’s case, whoever had her initially bought her as a pure-bred German Shepherd… I think they didn’t realize what they were getting themselves into, and they just said enough is enough, and let her go, King noted. She added, “If people actually think about what they’re getting when they adopt or buy a dog, there would be fewer homeless dogs.

Saving Dogs – Save One More Life

Would you like to save one more life just like Roger Richards, you can Contact the Humane Society of Durham Region and adopt a loving dog or cat today. Be the one that saves a life.