From Hiding in a Kennel to Exploring the Country: Annie’s Story

When Annie first came to Raskel’s Rescue, her name was Chocolate Chip.

She was a little tan dog with a crooked ear, a whole lot of uncertainty, and very little experience with people. It was obvious that humans had not played a very big role in her short life—and as far as Annie was concerned, she was perfectly fine keeping it that way.

Other dogs? LOVED THEM.

People? Well… people were a bit much.

So Annie did what many frightened dogs do when the world becomes overwhelming: she shut down.

She tucked herself into the corner of her kennel, made herself as small as possible, and tried her very best to become invisible.

But she wasn't quite invisible enough.

Because one of our volunteers, Kristy, saw her.

And more importantly, Kristy really saw her.

She saw beyond the scared little dog hiding in the corner. She saw potential. So Kristy started visiting her every day. She didn't push Annie or expect anything from her. She simply sat with her. She read books to her. She offered her treats. She gave her the time and space to learn that maybe having a person nearby wasn't such a terrible thing after all.

And somewhere along the way, Kristy realized something.

This little dog was going to be family.

It may have taken just a little longer to convince her wife, Deena, of this fact, but eventually everyone accepted the inevitable: Chocolate Chip, now Annie, had found her people.

Home she went.

She met Jack, her new feline sibling, and began settling into a life that must have seemed completely foreign to her. Annie had absolutely no idea what her future held.

And boy, was she in for a surprise.

These days, Annie takes regular trips to the dog park, where she hangs out with several other Raskel’s Rescue alumni. Apparently, our former residents have formed some sort of club, and frankly, we'd like to know whether there are membership dues.

She also went to obedience school—and graduated!

But that's nothing compared with what came next.

You see, Kristy and Deena aren't exactly the stay-at-home type. There's a whole big world out there, and they intend to see it. But leaving Annie behind while they explored it?

Not a chance.

So they bought an RV.

And Annie and Jack became travelers.

That little dog who once hid in the corner of a kennel hoping no one would notice her has now crossed the country twice.

She's traveled from the East Coast to the West Coast and back—and then headed west all over again!

She's explored caverns in Virginia. She's visited dog friends in Ohio. She's seen the lakes of Michigan and the Badlands of South Dakota. She's traveled through Oregon and, based on the photographic evidence, has probably visited every winery in the state.

And somewhere along the way, our formerly terrified little Chocolate Chip even became an official Bark Ranger with the National Park Service.

Yes. A Bark Ranger.

We can't make this stuff up.

But as much as we love following Annie's adventures, there's something about her story that we love even more.

Annie is a reminder to look twice at the animals who don't "show well" in a shelter.

Shelters can be loud, chaotic and frightening places. Some dogs run to the front of their kennels, tails wagging, ready to charm every person who walks by.

Others hide.

Some bark.

Some shake.

Some shut down completely.

And sometimes, the dog you see inside that kennel isn't even close to the dog they will become once someone gives them the chance to feel safe.

Kristy looked into Annie's kennel and didn't just see the frightened dog in front of her. She saw the dog Annie could be.

And look at her now.

She has a family. She has a cat brother. She has dog-park buddies. She has an obedience school diploma. She has an RV.

She has a Bark Ranger badge.

And she has thousands upon thousands of miles of adventures under those little paws.

So the next time you're walking through a shelter and notice the dog hiding quietly in the corner, don't be too quick to walk past.

There might just be a cross-country adventurer hiding in there.

They may simply be waiting for their Kristy to see them.