Preston Chihuahua & Dachshund Mix Louisville, KY

Preston may only weigh 12-lbs but there's a lot of fighting spirit packed into his little body. In mid-October 2016, Preston was hit by a car on Preston Highway and left to die. Luckily, a passing motorist saw the little dog on the side of the road and stopped to investigate. When he realized that Preston was alive (but barely), he brought him to us. Our shelter was actually closed that day but our Director happened to see the man pull up and, when she realized how dire Preston's situation was, she immediately rushed him to St. Matthews Animal Clinic. All kinds of tests were run and, after they'd done all they could for Preston from a medical standpoint, they released him to us a couple of days later with a 'tentative' prognosis. All we had to offer him was prayers, hope, and a lot of TLC but if Preston was willing to fight, we were going to give him every chance to pull through. Well, he quickly showed us that he wasn't ready to cross over the Rainbow Bridge just yet! Hour by hour, day by day, he started improving. He hadn't wanted to walk at the vet but with a lot of coaxing and patience, we were able to get him to take a few steps as soon as he arrived at our shelter. He was pretty wobbly on his feet at first but his confidence and strength grew and, after a week, he was trotting around with his tail and head held high and sniffing his surroundings on his walks. At about the same time, we realized just how agile the mischievous little guy was - the front office staff would come back to find Preston (who had been laying quietly in his bed when they left) sitting on top of the counter as if he'd declared himself the official Greeter for the shelter! Preston is proof that miracles DO happen and we are so happy we were able to be a part of his. He is very much loved by all the ACS staff and volunteers but, as much as we would miss him, we know he needs a home where he'll be the center of someone's world. We don't know if Preston is house-trained but he loves his leash walks and is good about waiting until it is his outside time to do his 'business.' So why hasn't he been adopted yet? Probably because of what he'd been through prior to becoming our guest, Preston is very distrustful of new people. Once he trusts you, however, Preston just can't love you enough! If you live in Louisville and would like to give this courageous little guy a loving and committed forever home, just stop by the shelter and ask to meet him. Just be prepared - it will take several visits to win his trust. When you can put on his harness and hook up his leash, we'll know you've won Preston over. A lot of people want 'instant gratification' when they come out to adopt a dog and we can certainly understand why a dog that immediately covers you with kisses is more appealing but, we promise you --- Preston is well worth the extra effort. He's certainly not a one-size-fits-all dog but he'll be an affectionate and devoted companion for the right person who gives Preston the time he needs to let down his guard. DATE OF BIRTH: OCTOBER 2013. /// PRESTON IS SPONSORED BY OUR FRIENDS AT OLDFATHER LAW FIRM THRU JUNE 2017; AND BY PAULA HARSHAW THRU MARCH 2018. Primary Color: Red Gold Secondary Color: White Weight: 12.8 I am available for adoption at the Animal Care Society.