From Feral to Family-Our Dog Sully’s Incredible Journey

Do you know where Winnemucca, Nevada is? It’s a small town in Northern Nevada off Interstate 80 that us Reno-ites drive through on our way to Boise or Salt Lake City. I actually have some dear friends from there, and like anywhere, it has its redeeming qualities and beautiful spots. However, for anyone unfamiliar with rural Nevada, it can definitely seem like a “middle of nowhere” kind of town.

Sully was born in Winnemucca. I don’t know the details of his birth, his parents, the exact location, or anything about the day he came into this world. In fact, I know very little about his first few months of life. What I do know isn’t pretty, but it has a happy ending, so here goes (if you don’t like sad dog stories, skip the next few paragraphs).

Sometime in the Spring of 2018 a man in Winnemucca got sick and wound up in the hospital. He asked a friend of his to go check on his dogs. When his friend went to do this, he found something he didn’t expect to find. 

This man’s “dogs” turned out to be somewhere between 50-60 Border Collies (along with 40+ puppies) locked up in dirt-floored, chain link fenced-in kennels. They weren’t accustomed to people. They were overcrowded and malnourished. From what I’ve been told they weren’t physically abused but they were seriously neglected. Food was thrown to them over the fence and only the most aggressive and strong ate well. 

The details are a bit murky, but I have been told by multiple sources that this man did not have ill intentions, he just had something else going on pertaining to being ill. I truly feel for him and I pray that he got the help he needed.

It took some convincing, but finally he agreed that these dogs would be better suited elsewhere. This initiated a 3-4 month effort by multiple agencies across several states to remove the dogs from the property and relocate them elsewhere. Our dog, Sully, wound up at the Canine Rehabilitation Center and Sanctuary (CRCS) in Washoe Valley, along with his brother. They were some of the last ones to leave the hot Winnemucca sun behind.

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Sully was considered feral when he arrived at CRCS. I imagine (and have been told) that his life up until then had consisted of burrowing holes in his dirt-floored kennel to get away from the other dogs and the intense Nevada elements and trying to get any food he could manage amongst the likely tough crowd. Additionally, the rescue effort was for his well being, but I’m sure was traumatizing nonetheless. 

Through the work performed with him in the year or so that he was at CRCS, he slowly began to trust people and come out of his shell. I am forever indebted to the amazing staff and volunteers at CRCS. The healing work they do with these dogs is amazing, and I have proof of that laying next to me as I type these words.

Sully endured a few hardships before coming to live with us. He was taken home by 2 other families that, for whatever reason, wound up bringing him back to the rescue center. I know what the reason for this was, and I’m sure you do too, if you believe in that whole “things happen for a reason” thing.

My family I walked into CRCS this past March after numerous discussions about getting a dog. My previous job fighting wildland fires wasn’t conducive to inviting a dog into our home, but times had changed. I was no longer away for weeks at a time and I had the time to devote to an animal. Also, I was ready. Miles on trails solo had me ready for some companionship and I was excited to expose a dog to a life of true adventure and genuine love.

When Sully was brought out to meet us for the first time, I was taken aback by his good looks and his thick, shiny black coat. He was extremely shy and nervous, and as we walked him around the CRCS campus, like most adoptive parents must do, I kept asking myself, “is this our dog?” We loved him immediately, and I went back to walk him every day for over a week. I felt like he began to recognize me more each time I came, and over this time I think he was also evaluating me. They say that ultimately the dog chooses you, and I definitely saw that this sweet animal was ready for a home and a family to call his own. 

After a week, we all decided that yes, this was our dog. We were ready to bring him home and he showed signs of being ready to accept us as well. I still remember the feeling when myself and one of the CRCS staff was able to get Sully into the back of my car!

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I’ve never driven a newborn home from the hospital, so driving our new dog home was the closest to that I’ve been. I sat in the backseat as Darren drove. I was nervous. I was excited. I was terrified. I had just picked up my first ever (as an adult) dog. I wanted Sully to feel like part of our family and for our home to be his home. Up until Sully came to live with us, he had never lived in a traditional home. He went from a dirt kennel to the rescue center and was now embarking on his journey into his forever family’s lives and home. 

With a lot of time, patience, love, consistency, and understanding, the dog we have now is quite different from the dog we brought home this past April. Undoubtedly he is an irreplaceable member of our family now.

Fast forward almost 4 months. Sully has hiked over 300 miles with me (and sometimes Darren!) in Nevada, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. He has gone from being nervous and anxious to being chill at home and a hiking machine on the trail. He is inquisitive and smart. He loves playing with other dogs. He has become one of life’s greatest joys and I am beyond grateful to have this pup to accompany me on my daily adventures. I truly cannot imagine life without him.

I often wonder what he’s thinking, as I’m sure most dog-owners do. He has brown eyes and they are deep…sometimes even sad. I tell myself that maybe he’s thinking about his past, or wondering if he’s really here to stay. People tell me he hit the jackpot- that he’s a lucky dog, and they’re right! He’s living a pretty amazing life. 

Honestly though, I think it’s us that scored. 

If you’re interested in the work that the Canine Rehabilitation Center and Sanctuary does, you can find out more information and/or donate here.