“My mentor said a phrase one day that blew me away. He said “sometimes we think we are saving them, but they are really saving us.” I really couldn’t imagine my life without Dax.” –Tanner McWhirter
When our Carson City Animal Control team found Dax Shepherd, he was severely underweight, very scared and had obviously been neglected. This beautiful German Shepherd had been abused and abandoned, but we knew that there was a sweet, loving dog inside this nervous boy, that just needed a little extra love and attention to learn to trust people and understand what it is to be loved.
Luckily our dedicated Veterinary and Dog Care teams were ready to help and with the support of our friends at Michel Hohl Subaru, we found Dax the perfect Forever Home! After several weeks of healthy meals and specialized training sessions, Dax Shepherd started to come out of his shell and blossom into an amazing dog.
While our team was busy rehabilitating Dax, U. S. Military Veteran Tanner McWhirter (Dax’s dog dad) had decided he wanted a German Shepherd and was actively searching for his Furry Soulmate. Tanner’s friends encouraged him to check the Nevada Humane Society website so that he could help a shelter dog in need, and when he did he discovered Dax. When Tanner read Dax’s story he knew he just had to help him and couldn’t wait to meet him.
When Tanner met Dax… it was just meant to be. “Dax just casually walked into the room with his tennis ball in his mouth. He was just calm and collected, and I immediately knew he was the perfect dog for me.” –Tanner. The two are inseparable and Tanner says he couldn’t imagine his life without Dax!
“Dax and I do everything together, he goes with me everywhere. I just enjoy his company and seeing how he brightens up people’s day when they see him. He also loves the attention he gets at church! I take him to work with me and he is a star –everyone loves him and he gets tons of attention and gifts! Our favorite activity is hiking together, Dax knows when it’s Saturday morning and we are going for a couple hour hike.” –Tanner
Amazing matches like this one are made possible by the support of our dedicated partners like Michael Hohl Subaru. The Subaru Loves Pets promotion allowed us to waive the adoption fees for a shelter dog in need every day during the month of October, and as a result 31 shelter dogs in need just like Dax Shepherd received essential life-saving care and found Forever Homes.
Visit our Happy Tails page for more heart-warming adoption stories.