Happy Tails Thanks to Homeward Trails

更新时间：2009/1/11

By Rona Ghorzhang and Emily Hodges
Washington
09 January 2009

From birth, Tillah the dog faced a life of abuse and neglect, but then a sympathetic dog rescue organization stepped in.

Tillah is a five-year-old dog who has traveled many kilometers from her original home on the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan.

Tillah's life has improved immensely since she was rescued by the local animal-rescue organization called Homeward Trails.

Sue Bell

Sue Bell is Howard Trails director. "We take animals into our organization who are at shelters who face euthanasia because of animal overpopulation," she explains. "Homeward Trails works with the shelters to bring the homeless dogs and cats into the Washington, DC area to put them into temporary homes and then put them into permanent adoptive homes."

Now Tillah's second life has begun in Arlington, Virginia, a suburb of Washington.

Tillah has been working with a trainer, Kinga Berro, to learn how to live with people again.

Her new trainer believes that Tillah was abused before she came to America.

Tillah

"I believe she was mistreated in Afghanistan because of the reaction she has to men," Berro said. "She has gotten much better with the socialization, but typically dogs are very social animals and she is very afraid of meeting other dogs which makes me think that she wasn't socialized as a puppy and also wasn't in social environments."

For seven months, Tillah has been living with a foster family in Arlington. Kinga hopes that Tillah will eventually find a permanent home.

"Tillah is doing great. I really believe that with the right owner and the correct management she has really come a long way already. And if she just continues with the socialization and de-sensitization techniques that we've been implementing for her, I think she's going to be a great dog and she already is," Berro said.

Homeward Trails gives dogs, like Tillah, a chance to experience a happy life, free of abuse and hardship.