Ghost Dog, White Dog, Momma Dog. This girl now has a forever name and a forever home.
Meet "Tara" (Gaelic for home).
Meet "Tara" (Gaelic for home).
Tara now has a forever home with Tracie Nelson and her family at Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve (Old Daley Ranch). Tracie is the Wildlife Manager with the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and lives on the Reserve. She has a rich background with dog handling, especially German Shepherds. THANK YOU NELSON FAMILY!
And thank you to all the wonderful people of Deerhorn Valley, Mother Grundy, Bratton Valley, Sierra Cielo and beyond! So many people reported on her whereabouts, provided water and food, and just plain cared. And just look what you made happen:
Our dog-rescuer and local hero, Gary Crocker, finally secured her Sunday morning after many days of gentling and reaching out to her. He left food and water twice daily up a steep hillside off of Honey Springs Rd. and worked patiently to accustom her to a collar and eventually a leash. He turned her over to Tracie the same morning and wrote, "Tracie is taking her to the vet to get her shots, check for chip and get chipped if none found as well as fixed. The transfer went smooth and the dog seemed calm when we loaded her in Tracie's truck. I was able to add quite a bit of weight on her these past days and she is looking healthier and happy."
Tara made an impromptu visit with her new family to the No-Casino "Fun-Raiser" at Thousand Trails on Sunday afternoon. For short times they brought her into a secured area immediately adjacent to all the excitement. Tara was great! She frolicked with Sarah and began to act like the young dog she is.
Monday she was screened for a microchip by Dr. Christine Wilson at Steele Canyon Veterinary. None was found, and today (Thursday) she's due for a full exam and shots.
Below are the latest updates from Tracie and Gary, as well as community reactions from Facebook and the morning email:
Gary Crocker: Really happy that the dog is going to a good home! She is a lover dog and though she is a bit mouthy it is something that a bit of training can correct. She'll be beautiful once she gains muscle.
Linda Raeber: Great news!
Sherry Beaton: Wonderful news---love happy endings.
Susan Evosevich: Wonderful News!
Stephanie Dillon: Hallelujah! Thank you!
Dan Wemple: That is great!!!!
Marion Kerr: Sounds like a happy ending!
Doug Dube: Those are NOT Gary Crocker's legs in the background; kudos to him though for having the patience and heart to get the dog through this rough patch and to a happy home.
Sandra Ignosci: After all we have been through & seen & read are you sure they have the right dog? St. Francis must have been watching over her! Fantastic news, thanks for the update.
Claudia Millerbragg: Thank you everyone for caring about this dog. I am glad she has a new home.
Kathy Moon: AWESOME....a fairy tale ending...brought tears to my eyes. THANK ALL who have taken such loving care of her !!!! PS you picked a GREAT vet too
Linda McBride Hackney Yea!!! Happy happy ending. Love Dr.Wilson - great vet!
Julia Baldwin: This has been an amazing story to follow. What a great ending!
Jan Maxted: Isn't that a miracle?! That you for your big part in making it come out right for that poor dog! I am thrilled that all of this effort has gone into the project. Unbelievable, really, that's she's made it this far (the few times we've been in Jamul lately we've been sleeping on our upstair outside porch and hear close coyotes every night, not to mention the cars and motorcycles) and that folks have not given up hope! [Jan and Don Maxted first reported a white dog and pup in the Honey Springs S-curves.
Darcy Yent: What a beauty..........you got major points in the animal kingdom for all the work you did for that dawg.
Debra Hornsby: I saw the dog there yesterday at Pio Pico and she looked super happy playing with the little blonde girl, whom I am assuming was Tracy's daughter...Great job everyone!-
Karen Pearlman: YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!- (U-T Reporter)
Karen Koop YAY!!!!! Very good news! Thank you!
Sandi Garcia Saw her this morning about 8:20 in the S-curves on my way to work. I rolled down my window and talked to her and she kept going but did acknowledge me with a glance. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that all goes well. Thanks for all the updates!
VK: What wonderful news Kim…thank you for the update. So happy to hear the person who is interested in adopting her has the training background and location to give her a forever home. Momma Dog will have much to overcome and it will be so beneficial to have someone who is skilled in dealing with her fears & issues. Perhaps, she can be the DVCA mascot…and have an appropriate name…Hopefully, we will continue to have reports on her progress.
Jill Powell Thanks for the update on momma dog. I am in Iowa but have been pleased to be able to hear the saga played out from afar, knowing so many folks have taken personal ownership in these dogs well being. Fingers crossed,
Coral Thuett Great news!!!
Marcia Spurgeon I saw her on the road 2 weeks ago and sent a text to you. She looked awful. Skinny and her tongue hanging out. She now looks beautiful. Gary has done an amazing job. What a kind man. Bless him.
Donna Thiercof Blocker: So happy!!!!! Great job to everyone!!!!
Lyn Valdivia: Hope we will hear updates still.
Ana Lucrecia Smith: Hooray! Keep us posted on her new life.
Arnette Reed: I had a white Shepard "Sheba" best dog ever. God bless all that cared enough to make this a happy ending.
Coral MacFarland Thuet: She should be DV mascot be part of next parade!
Rosa Chavez: So white and beautiful!
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| TARA --- AKA Ghost, White Dog, Momma Dog |
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| First Bath in a LONG time. TARA with Sarah Nelson. |
Tara made an impromptu visit with her new family to the No-Casino "Fun-Raiser" at Thousand Trails on Sunday afternoon. For short times they brought her into a secured area immediately adjacent to all the excitement. Tara was great! She frolicked with Sarah and began to act like the young dog she is.
Monday she was screened for a microchip by Dr. Christine Wilson at Steele Canyon Veterinary. None was found, and today (Thursday) she's due for a full exam and shots.
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| Feeling right at home. That's a happy looking group! |
Tracie: Got the dog scanned. No chip. Pictures of the wildchild attached. Doesn’t she look happy?! Sarah is calling her Tara. It’s Gaelic for “Home”. Hope this works out. She isn’t housetrained, but seems really smart. I didn’t get her physical exam done yet cause I wanted her first encounter at the vets to be positive. Just the scan for today. Plus Sarah would never forgive me if she didn’t get to go. We have an appointment for Thursday after school. Currently, she seems perfectly happy to hang out on Sarah’s bed while Sarah is in school, just chewing on her rawhide. Not being destructive. I took her out at lunch on a long lead, and she got to meet Mary Duffy and the regular Monday gang here. So far, so good! Cheers!
Gary Crocker: Really happy that the dog is going to a good home! She is a lover dog and though she is a bit mouthy it is something that a bit of training can correct. She'll be beautiful once she gains muscle.
Linda Raeber: Great news!
Sherry Beaton: Wonderful news---love happy endings.
Susan Evosevich: Wonderful News!
Stephanie Dillon: Hallelujah! Thank you!
Dan Wemple: That is great!!!!
Marion Kerr: Sounds like a happy ending!
Doug Dube: Those are NOT Gary Crocker's legs in the background; kudos to him though for having the patience and heart to get the dog through this rough patch and to a happy home.
Sandra Ignosci: After all we have been through & seen & read are you sure they have the right dog? St. Francis must have been watching over her! Fantastic news, thanks for the update.
Claudia Millerbragg: Thank you everyone for caring about this dog. I am glad she has a new home.
Kathy Moon: AWESOME....a fairy tale ending...brought tears to my eyes. THANK ALL who have taken such loving care of her !!!! PS you picked a GREAT vet too
Linda McBride Hackney Yea!!! Happy happy ending. Love Dr.Wilson - great vet!
Julia Baldwin: This has been an amazing story to follow. What a great ending!
Jan Maxted: Isn't that a miracle?! That you for your big part in making it come out right for that poor dog! I am thrilled that all of this effort has gone into the project. Unbelievable, really, that's she's made it this far (the few times we've been in Jamul lately we've been sleeping on our upstair outside porch and hear close coyotes every night, not to mention the cars and motorcycles) and that folks have not given up hope! [Jan and Don Maxted first reported a white dog and pup in the Honey Springs S-curves.
Darcy Yent: What a beauty..........you got major points in the animal kingdom for all the work you did for that dawg.
Debra Hornsby: I saw the dog there yesterday at Pio Pico and she looked super happy playing with the little blonde girl, whom I am assuming was Tracy's daughter...Great job everyone!-
Karen Pearlman: YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!- (U-T Reporter)
Karen Koop YAY!!!!! Very good news! Thank you!
Sandi Garcia Saw her this morning about 8:20 in the S-curves on my way to work. I rolled down my window and talked to her and she kept going but did acknowledge me with a glance. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that all goes well. Thanks for all the updates!
VK: What wonderful news Kim…thank you for the update. So happy to hear the person who is interested in adopting her has the training background and location to give her a forever home. Momma Dog will have much to overcome and it will be so beneficial to have someone who is skilled in dealing with her fears & issues. Perhaps, she can be the DVCA mascot…and have an appropriate name…Hopefully, we will continue to have reports on her progress.
Jill Powell Thanks for the update on momma dog. I am in Iowa but have been pleased to be able to hear the saga played out from afar, knowing so many folks have taken personal ownership in these dogs well being. Fingers crossed,
Coral Thuett Great news!!!
Marcia Spurgeon I saw her on the road 2 weeks ago and sent a text to you. She looked awful. Skinny and her tongue hanging out. She now looks beautiful. Gary has done an amazing job. What a kind man. Bless him.
Donna Thiercof Blocker: So happy!!!!! Great job to everyone!!!!
Lyn Valdivia: Hope we will hear updates still.
Ana Lucrecia Smith: Hooray! Keep us posted on her new life.
Arnette Reed: I had a white Shepard "Sheba" best dog ever. God bless all that cared enough to make this a happy ending.
Coral MacFarland Thuet: She should be DV mascot be part of next parade!
Rosa Chavez: So white and beautiful!