NEWS4U SEPTEMBER 2021 | COMMUNITY & FAMILY
HERCULES VHS ADOPTION SPOTLIGHT
Chase Haake and his mom reside in the small town of Owensville, Indiana, where they've cared for a number of animals over the years, including an "amazing" chocolate Lab as well as a couple of pups courtesy of an Amish family from Loogootee. Then there was a special furry friend that was rescued from a bad situation down in Texas. Sadly, he developed a tumor and passed away in 2020. But despite "running ourselves through the wringer of dogs," Chase and his mom recently visited the VHS "just to see what kind of dogs they had." Famous last words. In truth, the pair had spied a loveable little guy named "Hercules" online and asked if the senior Schnauzer with a Basset Hound-like body was still available for adoption. "One of the employees had taken him home for the week just to see how he would do - she met us there and told us all about him," Chase explains. "I told mom that one way or another I was getting this dog - either you're buying him or I am." And so Hercules - who reportedly came from a hording situation - headed to his new forever home in Owensville where he quickly made the transition to co-existing peacefully with the family's other dogs - well, after a little trial and error. "One of our dogs is a little more temperamental; we were kind of worried that she would growl and bite him," Chase says. "But since Hercules had been in that hording situation and dealt with so many different dogs, he would just walk by her like nothing was happening. She finally got to a point where she stopped [growling] because it's not fun when he's not reacting." Apart from that minor issue - now resolved - Hercules is loving his new environment and has particularly made a big impression on Chase's grandma whom he goes to visit every day. Though she purports not to be a big animal lover, she fell head over heels for one of the family's previous dogs, "Whisky," and finds Hercules to be an "adorable" reminder of her late furry friend. Sounds like grandma has a real soft spot for animals, actually. But how could anyone resist such a sweet little face?! Hercules has been through a lot in his 10 years but can now look forward to some truly wonderful days up in Owensville - he's earned it!
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