Limited visitation for cats. See Details HERE
Found in 2020, on the streets of Bahrain in a hazardous situation, a local shelter brought Cinderella in for care. Due to the pandemic and limited resources, she was often only visited once daily, leading to minimal human interaction. After connecting with EHS, we arranged for her transport to Canada, where she arrived in a cold December 2022.
When she first came to EHS at two years old, she was very curious about people but quite nervous. Her tail was permanently tucked under her belly, flinching at every noise and freezing in place when she was unsure. We knew wherever she went would have to spend some time making her comfortable.
After four months in our shelter, a case of perfect timing led her to her forever home. In May 2023, after her soon-to-be family sadly lost their dog, they made a trip to the shelter to donate their pet’s belongings. They didn't feel ready for a new dog, but the shelter visit inspired them to look into the available cats. So, they began looking at EHS’s website and inevitably ended up on the available dog page, where they came across Cinderella.
In a fairytale way, her soon-to-be mom, Feny, saw her shy, sensitive look and the same Saluki mix as her last dog and decided she had to help. Feny visited a couple of times to meet Cinderella and fell for her delicate nature. Deciding that she was more heavenly than regal, she took her home and renamed her Angel.
It was not an easy transition - Angel immediately ran to her new basement and stayed there. At first, Feny decided to give her space and slowly but surely get Angel comfortable with being in her space. She made all the right moves, avoiding eye contact, not touching her, and slowly progressing over time, but it was a long process. She tried different methods like home vet visits, anti-anxiety medication, and consistency and routine. While some methods weren’t perfect for Angel, the consistency and visits to her environment helped get her started.
It was a severe case, but she kept trying, knowing Angel needed someone she could rely on. Angel slowly and surely began exploring the house, eventually venturing into sleeping in her new owner's bedroom.
After working with a dog behaviourist, they recommended that Angel could do well with another dog. When they tried this method, Angel would light up. So, Feny started fostering dogs. They had to be confident and balanced playmates, but it was working. Angel has now adapted to her good friend, Hunter, whom she regularly has play dates with. Over time, Angel has begun to show her confident, playful side. She began exploring more, roaming the backyard, having zoomies, and enjoying the park.
Dog nervous systems are like ours and primed to pick up cues from other animals, and Angel is very good at picking up cues from other dogs. The dogs she interacts with are rewiring her brain to help her learn how to interact and engage with her new surroundings.
In her new home, Angel is progressing and starting to show her affectionate side. Her new mom works from home, so Angel has even begun to sleep on her feet while she works. To put the tail in “fairytale,” Angel even untucked her tail from her belly to show them how happy she is in her new home.