Labrador Retriever [Mix]

Some dogs come to us with stories that delight and inspire. The saga of Hannah borders on legend.

A rural West Virginia stray, Hannah endeared herself to strangers who instantly perceived her need and her depth, both to her credit and to the credit of the Samaritans who gave her sanctuary. We cannot account for how Hannah became a stray dog, and we do not know how long she wandered on her own.

We do know that already in her young life, she has been shot, and recovered from her wound through the nursing care of the people she went to for help, and that she is credited with saving the life of a baby.

Perhaps she approached a farm at night, alarming its occupants. She is very dark, and we cannot imagine anyone deliberately shooting such a wonderful dog. Fortunately, although she was shot in the face, it was superficial and has healed to the extent that this misfortune is barely discernible.

Hannah modestly discounts the depiction we have received of her quick thinking when the actions of an unsupervised baby, who threw an object into the oven, resulted in thick smoke and the beginnings of a small household fire. By all accounts Hannah was relentless in her efforts to alert adults in another portion of the home to the mounting emergency, and she kept the baby safe until her frantic summons brought relief.

It is very obvious to us that Hannah deserves a loving home, even if we had made all this up. Which we have not.

She is a beautiful and gentle, responsive and intelligent dog. She has a deep capacity and desire to bond, and she is tireless in her attention to people in a way that is hopeful and trusting. In the temporary care of the Samaritans who gave Hannah shelter, she tried in every way she knew to reward their kindness - by bounding and sticking tight alongside their young son outdoors, giving kisses carefully and frequently, and settling gratefully into her house at night.

We are just beginning Hannah's vetting (please read more on our vetting policy by going to our Home Page). Although Hannah is an extremely sensible and intuitive dog, we would love to see her have a chance to enjoy some of the puppyhood that she lost by concentrating so hard on survival. We have no doubt that she will reward the commitment of a loving adoptive home with the full measure of a very great heart.