Tanka

by KelseyAnne Ogrodnick

This is “The Great Story of Bum Bum” and how local rescue groups united to achieve one purpose. On a warm summer day Last Day Dog Rescue received “the call”. Sadly that day many of us learned that there were three Shepherd mixes that had been living around a liquor store parking lot since April. As we arrived to check out the scene there were two beautiful males standing in rubble and metal scraps, with an old thrown out television in a grassy area of the parking lot under a couple trees. There was left over pizza crust placed out for them on paper plates. In the lot next door, there is an abandoned house where their owner once lived, which was being utilized by the Shepherds for shelter. You can imagine the conditions! Critters of all kind were living in the vacant house. These guys were used to being out on their own; they were feral. The pack was a father (8 years old) and his two sons (2 years old). They were being fed and watched over by residents nearby. Everyone was aware of these dogs but it is not always easy to figure out the rest of the situation. People always ask, “Why can’t you just save the dogs?” With feral and stray dogs many things come in to play here. How are you going to catch them? Where are they going to live once they are caught? Who is going to pay for their food? Medical expenses? Rehabilitation?            

A close eye was being kept on these dogs as time went by. A proper plan was trying to be set into place to handle this delicate situation. The house that was their safe haven was eventually demolished over the summer and they had no place to go. They survived the outdoors by going with their instincts as feral dogs. Wonderful volunteers from C.H.A.I.N.E.D were feeding them regularly, setting up dog houses, igloos, providing water and straw as the months got colder. During this time all groups were always looking into possible avenues for these dogs. The locals, especially someone in particular, would go by to feed and spend time with the Shepherd’s. He was actually able to gain the trust of the 3 dogs because of this.

        Sadly, a few months ago one of the 2 year olds was out playing, having a wonderful time chasing a squirrel. His journey led him to Michigan Avenue where he was hit by a car and passed.  Just a few weeks later the father came up missing. After the thaw, we had learned that he had been hit by a car as well. Thus we are left with “The Great Story of Bum Bum” or the “The Last Survivor” as I like to refer to him.

         After reaching out to Devoted Barn who specializes in feral dogs, they committed to observing the site for the purpose of familiarizing Bum Bum’s routine.  A volunteer designed a dog house that specializes in safely trapping feral dogs. The dog house was monitored closely by various volunteers from C.H.A.I.N.E.D, Providing for Paws, The Devoted Barn, Last Day Dog Rescue and locals. After a few days we received “the call”, the good call. With amazement Bum Bum had been caught and a weight had been lifted from all of us!

                Bum Bum stayed with The Devoted Barn until a foster home was available with Last Day Dog Rescue. They helped him through the hardest transition, the most crucial time for a feral to adapt. He is now happily living in a foster home and continuing to work with the trainer who met him from the beginning. She specializes in feral dogs and has a specific plan for a successful rehabilitation. His foster has named him Tanka. She says, “I am so honored to be a part of Bum Bum’s incredible, transformational journey. After much serious consideration, I’ve decided to call him Tanka. A Lakota Sioux word meaning “Great”, as in “Wakan Tanka”, or “Great Spirit”. Being the strong survivor that he is, a proper Native American name seemed befitting.”