A Victim of the Wildfires - The Story of Sadie

It was a snowy December day when foster volunteer (and now SDRO adoption coordinator) Theresa Stephens and her husband drove to Central Oregon to pick up their first SDRO foster dog, Sadie. Theresa had joined SDRO the previous summer and felt ready to start fostering, but her excitement was tempered by nervousness since this was her first foster and a Pit Bull.

Sadie had many fears, such as loud noises, smoke, and wind. Her owners had lost their home in the wildfires that swept through Oregon in September 2021. Following the fire, they had to move often, sometimes with friends, but most often staying in their car, with nowhere to go. It was understandable that Sadie was afraid. Life was upside down. While it’s never an easy choice, the owner made the decision to legally surrender Sadie to the care of Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon in hopes of a better living situation for their beloved family pet.

Sadie also had medical issues. She had a large tumor on her eye and several more in her mouth. She needed surgery before she could be adopted. While Theresa knew Sadie would need to remain a foster until she got through her surgeries, she didn’t expect to have such an amazing experience having Sadie in their lives. She and her family fell in love with her. “Sadie was so smart. She figured out the house rules quickly and was so willing to please. In our quiet house, her fears dissipated. She loved our family and everybody who visited and found such delight in daily walks and play.”

Sadie successfully had her eye and mouth tumors, as well as five teeth, removed, all paid for by the generous donations of Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon donors. After two wonderful months as a foster, Sadie was adopted by an amazing couple who live on 5 acres and are crazy for Pit Bulls. 

Lucky Sadie! She’s happy and healthy now thanks to the efforts of many people, including her original owners, who sought a sustainable and loving home for Sadie, the SDRO adoption team, and the staff at All Creatures Great and Small Vet Clinic in Corvallis. 

It was a memorable two months being Sadie’s foster family, and Theresa “felt blessed to have Sadie with us and is so happy to know she now has a warm, loving home to live out her days.”

SDRO has a special need for volunteers interested in fostering larger dogs. To learn more about fostering for SDRO, visit our Foster page.