There is nothing sweeter than the story of a dog being rescued from a puppy mill. The conditions these dogs often suffered through seem unbearable to families looking to adopt a new pet, and usually affecting the rescued dogs for the rest of their lives. This rescued poodle developed some strange sleeping habits during her time in an over crowded puppy mill, confusing her rescuers and foster mom.
The poodle, now named Jordan Knight, was saved from a puppy mill with over 700 other dogs in Georgia. The licensed breeder was reported to the police after inhumane conditions came to light. Jordan’s foster home got an idea of what life in the overcrowded puppy mill was like on his first night home.
Knowing that the puppy would be terrified, his new foster mom, Mellissa Lentz made sure to give Jordan a nice space of his own with a bed where he could go to be comfortable and hopefully relax. What she caught on camera when he made his way to his bed was saddening. Instead of lying down in his bed, Jordan walked over to the cushion, gently placed his head on the side, and fell asleep- standing up.
“He was so used to standing to sleep due to his cramped cage,” says Releash Atlanta, the organization that rescued and placed Jordan in foster care. “He did the same thing on his first night in his foster home.” Luckily it wasn’t long before Jordan learned that things worked differently in this new place.
His new friends, a collection of forever home pups and foster dogs are happy and lighthearted, something that Jordan learned slowly. There is so much room to explore, and places that it’s ok to lay down. Since arriving at his foster home, Jordan has also had a spa day, learning that snuggling up in a towel after a warm bath actually feels good.
Lentz has learned a few of Jordan’s favorite things since he has moved in as well. Snuggling up on the couch with the other dogs, dinnertime, and climbing in and curling up in his bed, just to name a few. Lentz even managed to get him to snuggle on her lap, showing a new found confidence and trust in Jordan that had never been developed at the puppy mill.
“With a lot of love and attention from his foster family, he’s finally settling in.” Releash Atlanta wrote. “These dogs have been traumatized emotionally and mentally. To expect them to suddenly change overnight is impossible, but we are doing our best to erase their past and replace it with love, attention, and comfort while they learn this whole new world of theirs.”
The most important thing for Jordan now is to continue to recover and adjust to a new life of love- just like all puppy mill survivors. “He will be [up for adoption] as soon as he’s physically and emotionally ready?” says Lentz in an interview with the Dodo.
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