Dog finds forever home
Marble After spending 2½ years in an outdoor kennel at the Valley River Humane Society, it took Beulah awhile to get the hang of a new thing in her life – kayaking.
Since Lisa DeLaurentiis adopted Beulah in late March, the elderly dog has been adjusting to her new life near Boone with DeLaurentiis, her husband, their five rescue dogs and a few cats.
Beulah and Sugar, one of five other dogs DeLaurentiis is fostering, have adjoining oversized crates in the main living room. Sugar had been at an animal shelter even longer than Beulah, and wore out her top front teeth chewing on her enclosure at the shelter.
DeLaurentiis lives on 20 acres in Ashe County, with 3 acres that is fenced and where she lets her dogs roam. She has also been taking Beulah for daily hikes.
DeLaurentiis works as a church administrator in Boone but worked as an animal control administrator earlier in her career. She has been working with rescue dogs for more than 40 years.
“I usually take dogs no one wants,” she said. “Miss Beulah comes to work with me every day.”
Beulah was well loved at the animal shelter in Marble, but if she was real
estate, she could be described as lacking curb appeal. She just turned 11, has a large cancerous growth on one leg and doesn’t get along with other dogs, cats or children.
At least that’s what they thought before Delaurentiis got ahold of Beulah, who DeLaurentiis has nicknamed “Mush Face.”
The elderly dog has been respectful of the other dogs in the house. She ignores the cats, and there are no children.
DeLaurentiis plans to get Beulah a hat and sunglasses so she won’t get sunburned during their outings. Last week, DeLaurentiis took Beulah on a two-hour kayaking trip in the New River near where they live.
Beulah’s previous owner was an elderly woman who passed away. Little is known about the dog’s life prior to being taken in at the Valley River Humane Society, but it appears unlikely she ever set foot in a kayak before DeLaurentiis took her onto the water.
Beulah jumped in the river four times before she got the hang of riding in the kayak, DeLaurentiis said, adding that she has been taking dogs kayaking for a decade with good results and was confident Beulah would catch on.
DeLaurentiis took Beulah on a downtown walk Sunday, getting her accustomed to unfamiliar stimulation, such as passing traffic, pedestrians and other animals.
Beulah was seen by a veterinarian Friday and is returning Thursday to have the growth removed from her leg and examined for signs of spreading. It had been removed previously but grew back.
DeLaurentiis organized a fundraiser to pay for Beulah’s surgery. Providing the cancer isn’t spreading, she thinks Beulah has another good year or two of a happy life.
If Beulah needs chemotherapy or further treatment, DeLaurentiis will organize another fundraiser. DeLaurentiis said the next phase of her rescue is going to focus on legislation for North Carolina.
“I have helped write many laws in Florida and N.C. is behind the times,” she said. “The fact that counties in our state don’t even have an animal control is crazy. There are so many small changes this state could make to help curtail the overwhelming pet overpopulation. The chaining, the roaming, the breeding, basic medical care. I live in a very rural area, and we struggle with the same problems you do there.”