Adoption information
I've been adopted!
About Tara
This is Tara, a small seven year old Japanese Spitz with a difficult past.
Tara has been one of our more challenging cases but has made great progress during her time here. Only some of her background is known and the rest has come down to guesswork.
We imagine she may have come from a puppy farm, due to her strong fear of humans. She was then rehomed on Gumtree, but became an escape artist and was lost in a forest for some time before capture.
Fortunately the next family recognised her struggles and handed her over to Onyx Rescue for rehabilitation.
When she first joined us she spent a significant period of time frantically clambering at the perimeter of the property for an escape route. Unfortunately she did find her way out at one point and spent several days on the run before being ambushed by some members of the public and returned.
A litmus test of how much she has changed recently transpired when she slipped her collar, began to run away and then turned to came back and join the pack. When presented with the option of running into the unknown as she always had, she chose to stay.
Though Tara has come a long way, with the help of training and medication, she will unlikely ever be an outgoing and social dog with people. Though she prefers to be in the same room as her humans and at close proximity, she will not seek out affection and often still flinches when approached.
Despite all this, Tara is patient, loving and tolerant with her canine brethren and would make a great companion to another quiet dog. Homes with small children would be too much for her however.
This darling girl has the softest fur and will tolerate short periods of being stroked. She is unobtrusive, gentle and possesses a wisdom in her eyes. These same deep pools of glinting brown also betray her love for her special people.
The world can still be overwhelming for Tara and she takes her cues from her fellow dogs so a home with other dogs is essential. This angel has a pure heart and is always taking care of her doggy family in return.
For Tara to settle into a new home, when Onyx Rescue has been her first real experience of belonging, will require plenty of patience, understanding and guidance.
We are looking for people whose hearts are as big as Tara’s to give her the forever home of her dreams. A quiet place of warmth and unconditional love where she can finally rest after years of running and solitude.
If you think you can help this special girl to fulfil all her dreams and have plenty of time to assist her to continue to adjust to this strange world, please see the instructions below the blurb on the corresponding Petrescue listing to apply.
Medical notes
Tara is on Fluoxetine (doggy Prozac) to help her cope with the world and we recommend she stay on this medication for life.
This girl also has grade 3 bilateral luxating patellas, however, it is too late to operate and she copes well. She may require arthritis injections as she gets older.
Tara also has a grade 2 heart murmur. Heart murmurs can be common in little dogs. She is asymptomatic and requires no medication. Heart murmurs may progress as time goes on and require medication or they may stay the same.
Adoption details
Please tell us about yourself using the green ‘enquire about this pet’ button below. We do not operate on a first-in-best-dressed basis. Instead, our aim is to find the most suitable forever home for the animals in our care.
Your application should include details about who lives at your home, both humans and animals (names, sexes and ages) and what their daily schedules and living arrangements are like. It should include details about your previous dogs and a thorough break down of the house rules you will have for this pet as well as what their typical day will look like.
Please tell us what your dog’s sleeping arrangements will be as well as what you plan to do with your dog if you go away on holidays.
Please provide AS MUCH detail as possible to increase your chances of a successful application.
It may take up to four weeks to process the applications. Please try to be patient. All applicants will receive a response - but it won’t be an immediate one.
If your application seems promising you will be contacted for a telephone interview. Should this be successful you will be invited to a meet and greet and asked to send photos of your property.
Should the meet and greet end favourably, you may pay the adoption fee, sign the paperwork and take the pet on a two week trial during which time you will be asked to provide regular updates.
During this trial period the pet remains the property of Onyx Rescue and adoption will only be finalised following a successful trial.
See some of our previous rescues and keep up with the status of our current rescues by joining here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748478285317783/
AN OPEN LETTER TO APPLICANTS:
We hate to disappoint people. It’s something that really upsets us, but unfortunately it comes with the territory of what we do. So we want to take the time to explain something.
When we take on a dog, we make a commitment both to that dog and the former owners of that dog to find this fur-kid their perfect forever home. Our primary criterion in order to achieve this is whether that home is a good match for that dog. Each dog can have vastly different needs from the next and every home is different.
Sometimes well-intentioned people put their friends in touch with us, sometimes we are approached by friends or even family in relation to a particular dog. However, we have made a promise not to compromise on our commitment and we have to turn them down.
This isn’t a reflection of their dog ownership skills, nor how we feel about them personally. Our decision will always come down to whether we believe that they are a match. Not just any match - the best match.
Sometimes we are lucky to have several interested parties who would be a good match and it can be difficult to choose between them. Our ultimate decision will, however, not be influenced by our relationship with this potential adopter, be it secondary or primary, nor the number of times they have applied and missed out previously, nor whether they applied first, nor the number of times or methods used to contact us about a particular pet, but whether or not they are the BEST match available.
So if you know someone who is interested in any of the dogs at Onyx Rescue, or you are interested in one yourself, please go through the proper channels and send your application through Petrescue. Please do not take offence if you or your friends are not chosen - this only means that there was someone who was a better match. Not a better person, not a better dog owner, but a better match.
We believe there is a home for every dog and a dog for every home, so if you’ve not been chosen previously please do not give up applying - the next one may be your perfect dog.
Thank-you to everyone who supports what we do here - it means the world to us and the beautiful fur-kids seeking homes.
This pet has been adopted and found love with its new family.