Meet Mercy Jul 26

Foster location: Dreamweaver Farm, Pacolet, SC Estimated age: Approximately 9–10 years old Weight: 15.7 lbs Height: About 12" at the shoulder Spayed/Neutered: Per the exam of a spay clinic and our own vet's exam, Mercy appears to be spayed - she will be adopted on a spay addendum so if she ever goes into heat, we will help you Adoption Fee: $200 Fence needed? Yes. Mercy is quiet and cautious, and a securely fenced area will help her feel safe as she adjusts to a new home. Want To Know More About Me? Text Mercy to 864-441-9075 for her full story and photos—we’ll send everything you need to know. If you want to skip straight to the application: www.carolinapoodlerescue.org/application/ Here’s Your Quick Peek: Mercy, mercy me. This little girl was never supposed to be here. We were already picking up other dogs from the same shelter when the rescue coordinator messaged me about Mercy. The shelter was full, adoptions had nearly stopped, and this small older terrier had nowhere to go. The summer had been brutal—brutal heat, relentless intake and far too many animals abandoned or surrendered because humans were struggling to keep the commitments we had made to them. Mercy needed mercy, so I said yes. The shelter listed her as a six-year-old stray, but we believe Mercy is closer to nine or ten. She is definitely a senior, although she is nowhere near ready to be treated as geriatric. Think of her as the canine equivalent of someone who has just qualified for Social Security and now finally has time to enjoy herself. Mercy is a gentle, quiet and sensitive girl who takes time to feel safe. Her favorite place at Dreamweaver Farm is a small open space beneath my kitchen sink. I put a bed there for her, and it has become her sanctuary. From that protected little spot, she can listen to everything happening in the kitchen and know she is part of the family without being expected to stand in the middle of it. Mercy likes to observe before she participates. She rarely makes a sound, walks beautifully on a leash and is crate trained. She gets along well with the small dogs around her but does not seek them out for play. Mercy is not looking for a wrestling partner or a busy social calendar. She wants a peaceful home, a predictable routine and a person whose presence helps her feel safe. Must have: A calm, patient person who will let Mercy settle at her own pace. She needs a quiet home, a secure fenced area and someone who understands that trust may arrive gradually. Exercise: Low to moderate. Mercy enjoys gentle walks and exploring at her own pace, but she is primarily looking for companionship rather than adventure. Best with: A quiet adult home and someone who wants a sweet, undemanding companion nearby. Mercy could live with another calm small dog, although she does not need a canine playmate. Not ideal for: A loud, hectic household or a family looking for an immediately outgoing, playful dog. Mercy is sensitive to noise and needs time to become comfortable with new people and surroundings. Energy level: Low. Good with dogs? Yes with small dogs. She coexists peacefully but generally does not play. Her response to large dogs is unknown. Good with kids? An adult home is preferred. Cats? Unknown. House trained? Dogs often break house training in a kennel area and settle into a routine once they are in a home. We believe Mercy was house trained once. She prefers to go outside now but will also use a convenient pee pad if a door is not open at the right time. With time and routine, she will redevelop this skill. Medical note: Mercy has experienced several gastrointestinal and weight-related problems since coming into rescue, including an episode of bloody diarrhea that her veterinarian believed may have been stress-related. Testing for intestinal parasites was negative. Her more recent bloodwork showed mildly low albumin and some other abnormalities that we are monitoring, while her kidney marker creatinine remained normal. She has gained a little weight but remains underweight and needs consistent meals, careful weight monitoring and continued veterinary follow-up. She also has mild dental disease and a very soft grade 1 heart murmur. When we look at all of Mercy’s smaller medical concerns together, we keep coming back to the same possibility: stress can do remarkable damage to the body, and Mercy has lived through more uncertainty than this quiet little girl knows how to explain. We think Mercy may simply have a broken heart. There is only one real treatment for that—a new love. Mercy is small, compact and ready for a soft bed, a quiet place by the fire and someone whose feet she can curl up beside. She does not need to be the center of attention. She simply wants to know she is safe, she belongs and this time, no one is going to leave her behind.