A group of dog rescuers finally caught a stray dog living in the Eastern Washington town of Deer Park for 4 years.
Molly lived on her own for 4 years in Deer Park, WA. Phone from Molly’s Recovery Team Deer Park WA.
Molly is a lab mix whose family left her behind when they moved away from Deer Park.
Animal control caught her in 2013, but after a few months she escaped from her foster family.
Shelters and rescues, as well as dozens volunteers, tried to capture Molly. But because she didn’t trust humans (and who could blame her) no one could get close enough to capture her. She also expertly avoided humane traps that people put out.
She probably stayed in Deer Park because she lived there before her family abandoned her. Several locals put out food for her to help her survive.
In fact, so many people were feeding her she began to gain weight, and as time passed, the need to capture her became more imperative because at some point someone put a choke collar on her, so people were concerned that if she continued to gain weight the collar would strangle her.
As time passed, most people had given up on capturing Molly.
Fortunately, a group of dedicated dog lovers who continued to feed her regularly while trying to gain her trust. Their work paid off yesterday.
Here’s the announcement posted on the PAK Dog Training Facebook page:
“Monique and Brittney learned about Molly – The Deer Park Graveyard dog while assisting in the capture of Loki the missing boxer.
Yesterday, she finally succumbed and allowed her rescuers to put a leash on her. Photo from Molly’s Recover Team Deer Park WA.
Monique reached out to the Mollys Recovery Team on facebook to get the story. Over the last several months, Monique has been visiting Molly, including bringing her healthy food, supplements and just plain attention. Monique was working on getting Molly used to her.
Finally after months of interactions with Molly, Monique finally had a reliable team in place because she had grown concerned about her more pronounced limping. We had decided that we would try and save Molly on Sunday.
With two of the team on the ground and two in cars, Andy followed Molly out of the cemetery and down the road. Brittney took over on the road following with the vehicle close behind.
Molly cut between two houses and Brittney followed her. Monique in the vehicle followed the road around the corner. Molly stood in the intersection, faced Monique and her vehicle and laid down and surrendered as they approached her.
She layed still as we placed a slip lead on her, checked her collar, did a quick look over of her. She was very scared but accepting of our touch.
We let her lay there to try and relax but as she has not been touched by human hands for multiple years it was quite a shock to her.
Brittney and Monique were not sure of her health, her mobility, or if she was injured anywhere, so they carefully picked her up and placed her in a kennel in the car.
After she was in the car, she sat up and was alert. As of right now, her collar has been removed, she is relaxing in a calm, safe and warm environment.
We are working on her veterinary care and will keep everyone updated as we get more information.
Brittney Katterfeld and Monique are both Certified Master K9 Trainers and have agreed to work on her
Monique is one of the women who finally rescued Molly, and she will help her learn to trust humans again. Photo from Molly’s Recovery Team Deer Park WA.
rehabilitation, diet and exercise program. To give everyone hope…Molly allowed Monique to give her a kiss on her head!
We are so thankful for everyone’s concern and we will always keep you guys updated on her progress.”
Molly’s biggest challenge now is learning to trust humans again.
She’ll do that at PAK9 Dog Training in Spokane. You can follow her progress on their Facebook page or the Molly’s Recovery Team Deer Park, WA Facebook page.
Molly will need vet care, both physically and mentally, and intense rehabilitation with a trainer skilled in dogs with her needs in order to trust humans again. Her rescuers set up a fundraiser to help offset some of the costs of her rehabilitation and training.
If you’d like to make a contribution please go to the Help Molly Heal fundraising page.
Thank you to everyone who never gave up on Molly, especially Brittney Katterfeld and Monique Helms Smith. I don’t use this word often but you are true heroes.
This is a beautiful ending to an emotional story here in Deer Park, WA. No one here ever didn’t want Molly to be helped. There were a couple people who didn’t want strangers and contraptions in their yards; their perogative. They did not represent our entire town, not even many, not even a few, yet our town was slammed for such. I’ve watched the story receive horrible, hateful comments from people who don’t live here, don’t know the story, have no idea how many residents here tried in vain on their own to rescue this sweet girl. At one time, city officials gathered up her puppies and carried them into the city yard with the hopes that she would follow them into the gated area; she went as far as the threshold if the gate but would not cross it, not even for her puppies. Many, MANY attempts have been made over the years by many, many individuals unbeknownst and unpublished to the public including the recovery team. This girl was loved by many in this bedroom community of Spokane yet many times over we endured the undeserved criticism and hate aimed at our community. Molly’s recovery had become a tug o’ war, a competition. I believe the original meaning of what needed done was overridden at some point by finger pointing and undeserved judgement by many who never once stopped on the road to talk to Molly, call to her, walk by her, feel the sadness while looking into her frightened eyes. Her capture and saving is GREATLY appreciated and those who did it are immensely commended here in our community. Molly is safe and warm and being loved like we here have wanted her to be for years.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It’s good to hear from someone who lives in Deer Park.
Rescue is emotional work and many people forget other humans are not always the enemy. Thank you for your view and opinion on this, LaDawn. Helps to put things in perspective. Many thanks to the 2 rescuers that went about their work quietly and got the job done too. One more dog safe off the streets!
My life and my emotions were ridiculously turned upside down recently by attempting to capture and foster a newly-stray people-friendly cat for 5 whole days. The dedication of these women (and so many others) that give so much of themselves over years are indeed heroes. The giant problem of stray animals does not seem quite so overwhelming after reading this.
So true, thank you.
For all the Molly supporters that do not live in Deer Park we could only rely on those that did. This was never a competition. The group formed because of our love for animals. We wanted Molly to be part of a family, receive vet care , and most important love. A town resident went as far and took out an ad in the paper pleading for people to stop being mean to Molly. Chasing her and throwing rocks at her. The mayor wrote us and said Molly is content and not living a bad life. This has all been debated over the last 2 years. At the end of the day Molly is finally safe. That’s all we care about.
Thanks for all you did for her.
Molly update – she’s doing great!
https://www.facebook.com/229408580603501/photos/a.229451910599168.1073741828.229408580603501/451793305031693/?type=3&theater
Having been involved in rescue for many years I can’t say enough about the people who rescued Molly. It was their persistent unwavering commitment to save Molly that shows what true animal lovers they really are. Molly did need to be rescued, she is a domesticated dog, she needs love (unconditional), medical treatment & a proper diet. Something her prior owners decided they would no longer give her. They didn’t even have enough heart to find her a new home or even take her to a shelter, she just became another throw away pet that our society has come to expect. Pets are for life !!!! Not until you get tired of taking care of them or they get old or their fur no longer matches the new rug !!! We live in a society that puts our older relatives in nursing homes or “assisted living” so we don’t have to take of them so what can we expect people to do with their pets??
I happen to love older dogs, 3 out of the 4 I have are getting older. I love their little quirks, their funny faces they make and all the love we share. I’ve rambled enough God Bless those who cared enough for Molly & any other abandoned or stray animal to get them off the street & to safety.
I can’t add anything to that! I love older dogs too.
The women who “rescued” this dog have been arrested and are facing severe animal cruelty charges for stealing over 39 dogs and abuse and neglect of an additional 50 dogs including at least one death known about so far. These dogs were put in their care for boarding and training purposes with their company, Accurate k9 training.
https://www.khq.com/news/scraps-investigating-dog-training-business-criminal-charges-forthcoming/article_fb3be4e4-008e-11ec-8d3c-4751b29e9202.html