Ellie is a Bluetick Coonhound, about five years old, who came to our sanctuary in October of 2004 after being evacuated from Mississippi after Katrina. She came up with Jethro, also a Bluetick Coonhound, although he was, and remains, much larger than she. Both were quite emaciated, but Ellie was anemic as well. It took a long time (almost six months) to get her levels stabilized. Initially, Ellie was very lethargic and had to be coaxed to eat. She was afraid around the other dogs at our sanctuary. Rather than going on our usual hikes, when all the dogs are at high decibel, we instead took shorter “strolls”, in an attempt to integrate Ellie into the pack. One sunny day, Ellie began interacting with the other dogs, even initiating play. As a Hound, her nose is always to the ground, a sort of olfactory antenna, and with all of the wooded paths, creeks, and wildlife percolating, she is in Heaven! It was in using that nose, while running over the hills and hollows, that she shed the hurricane stupor she incurred August 2004. After three and a half years, Ellie has blossomed into one of the happiest dogs we’ve had the pleasure of ever living with. She’s friends with all the other dogs and along with Jethro, it seems that Jones has taken a fancy to Ellie, too. If Jones sees her heading into the woods, off he goes after her, always the attentive escort. Jones and Jethro never cross swords for Ellie’s attention. Like all intelligent and independent women she knows how to be true friends to both without ever inciting jealousy between them (greatly helped by the fact that all are spayed and neutered!). While Ellie is an emotionally outgoing and lovely companion, she is also physically demonstrative and loves to be hugged. She is a pure soul who loves everyone and everything here at the sanctuary. To know Ellie is to love her and we know city life would be a stifling experience for her. Thus, she lives a beautiful life here, hopefully for many years to come. She and Betsy have become boon companions and their affection for one another is delightfully obvious, like best friends but without all of the back biting.
