Just before July 4, 2004, a fellow rescue worker was visiting an animal shelter in Wisconsin. While there, my friend noticed a dachshund being held there too. Knowing that I do dachshund rescue, my friend called. I learned that, because the shelter has a no-kill policy, they had not euthanized the dachshund, but had decided she was not adoptable as she was a senior with obvious medical problems. They had received the dachshund - now named Tillie - in the middle of January when a farmer dropped her off, saying he had found her in the woods four days earlier and had kept her in his barn. The low temperatures at that time were in the minus zero degrees range. I believe it was a miracle Tillie survived and had not suffered frostbite or hypothermia.

Tillie was not given any medical treatment during her months at the shelter because of the shelter's extremely limited funds, However, I'm told she was given much attention by the shelter staff during her stay there. I have to say that I think I fell in love with Tillie the moment I met her. She is sweet and affectionate, also stubborn and very intelligent. She gets along great with everyone (except strange cats she does not know). I particularly love her spunky personality. She does not hesitate to talk back to me and let her desires be known. She talks by muttering, out and out barking, and also makes the cutest little whiney noises. If her talking doesn't get her what she wants, she resorts to body language - head nods, whole body nods, you name it! Tillie is a determined little dog! No wonder she survived the snow and below freezing winter temperatures of the Wisconsin woods!

There is never a dull moment with Tillie around. She now suffers from Cushings, and her expenses continue. Tillie is not a complainer. She takes life as it is. She is a sweetheart, and I cannot imagine why anyone would abandon her in the middle of nowhere. Tillie is a stay-at-home type dachshund and not the type to run away. Her vet feels that she probably only has "one good year" left. I'm hoping that it will be a very happy one. If she ends up staying with me, her foster mom, I will consider myself fortunate. If some deserving family adopts her, they will be blessed with a dog filled with courage, love, strength, determination and the true Dachshund Spirit. (submitted by Millie in Minnesota)