Successful Adoption Story – Quincy (formerly Casey)

As told by Quincy’s new owner, Tim Ewing, to former foster mom, Peggy Welder …

On April 29,2014 I lost my beautiful Golden Retriever Laney, who was 13 years old. We had only been together 4 years since she was a Senior adoption. For the first time in 17 years I was down to only one dog….my amazing Border Collie Zona who is only 3. We also lost our rescue Boo (another Border Collie) just over a year ago.

So about 6 weeks after Laney’s passing I was ready to become a dog dad again and knew it would be another Border Collie. I also knew I wanted to somehow give back and take on a special needs dog if I could find the right one. You see Zona is a dominant female so I knew I needed a passive goofy boy. After contacting a few different folks in the rescue world I stumbled upon red & white Border Collie Casey (now Quincy). As soon as I got the call from Peggy at Northern California Border Rescue & Adoptions with his unique story I was in the car the next day. You see Quincy has difficulty seeing, particularly in daylight but for some reason it didn’t faze me at all.

On June 25th, 2014 I drove about an hour to meet this beautiful boy with my girl Zona in tow. Let me just say Zona is very picky on what dogs she gets close too. But for some reason Zona was very indifferent to Quincy which for her is great on a meet and greet. After about an hour visit I said lets do it.

Well for the first week my Zona was very skeptical, well maybe that is being too kind. I think a better word would be appalled!!!!! A funny thing happened about 5 or 6 days in….they all of the sudden started to play and wrestle. This went on for about 30 minutes straight. That moment literally gave me tears of joy. Ever since then the two of them hang out all the time.

Now Quincy has had his trials and tribulations with that visual impairment thing going on but at this time a year at about 8 PM he has partial vision outside. We always go outside at night so he can play just like a “normal” dog. Warms my heart to see him so happy. Quincy gets 2 –3 walks every day for about 3-4 miles each day, I mean he is still a young BC after all. In the beginning when walking he would be on a leash like a drunken sailor moving from side to side…now he walks just PERFECT. He had not seen much of the world including dog doors…within 3 days he was flying through the dog door full Border collie speed just PERFECT. Also when I first got him, I couldn’t let him off the leash since he was a new dog to me and for the sight limitations already mentioned. Now once again off the leash he is just PERFECT. Since he can’t always tell where I am when I call him, I came up with two ideas. One was to teach him to stay in place and I simply come get him; it works great. The other idea was too put the old ID tags from Zona’s brother and sister she lost so now Quincy can hear Zona so well wherever she goes and follow her to her hearts delight. In turn Zona’s brother and sister’s old ID tags jingling makes life easier for Quincy.

I feel so fortunate to have had Quincy come into my life, we kind of rescued each other in many ways (that’s a whole other story). He follows me everywhere and I love it. In fact if I say the word walk he follows me so close that wherever I go his wet nose is touching the back of my calf’s….literally.

Thanks for believing in me Border Collie Rescue to adopt this very special boy, I’m very grateful for my dog family…