Miss-Delectable
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The Daily Item - Blind, deaf pup rescued
Despite being born blind and deaf, Bella plays with everyone who comes into The Pet Platoon Pet Supplies Shop.
She and her brother Benny were the result of breeding of blue merle rough collies that should not have been done, according to Yvonne Roadarmel of Far Point Collie Rescue. She said the breeder wanted nothing to do with the pups and gave them away, resulting in her rescue about a month ago.
Dave Fumanti and his wife, Judy, who own the pet shop at 246 N. Derr Drive, met Bella, now 7 months, through Donna Riccio, who was keeping the puppy at the time.
"She came into the store to look for treats for her that smelled good and told us her story. We gave her puppy treats that she loved," Mr. Fumanti said.
Later, they went for lunch and not realizing that Ms. Riccio worked at the establishment, saw Bella again and decided to adopt her.
Bella has lived with them and gone to work with them the past three weeks. Bella senses someone coming in the shop through vibrations and the rustling of air, Judy said.
"She knows the baskets that the treats are in," she said.
The eyes of Bella and her twin Benny, who are spayed and neutered respectively, never developed. Their eyelids have been sutured to prevent debris from entering and causing infection.
Bella, who was almost housebroken when they got her, will bark when she plays and "when she's real excited," Judy said.
The nearly pure white Bella gets along with the Fumantis' other dogs.
"She's very spunky. She just started learning to go up steps and started to do it all by herself. She knows the layout here and follows customers around by scent," Judy said.
The pet shop is holding a fundraiser for Benny, who required costly medical treatment for mange. They are selling raffle tickets with the customers choosing which prizes they want to try to win. The raffle ends Saturday. Benny also loves to play with toys and people, is housebroken, loves to play with Ms. Roadarmels' other dogs and is able to find his way down her deck steps to the yard and back again.
Judy said it took Bella about two hours to learn the layout of their store.
"She has no clue she has any problems. She adapted to her world," she said.
They communicate with her by tapping her three times on the side as a signal to play, by tapping her nose if she is into something she shouldn't be, by rubbing her chin so she knows a treat is coming and petting her head when she is good.
Benny, who is larger than Bella, can hear a little. Ms. Roadarmel has listed him on a Web site of disabled pets up for adoption. The Fumantis understood there is someone interested in adopting him.
Judy said people should not obtain dogs from "backyard breeders" such as where Bella and Benny were born. "She has surrendered her animals," Judy said of that breeder.
"Pennsylvania is one of the top puppy mill states in the country. It's horrible," she said.
Anyone wanting a puppy or a dog should contact a reputable breeder, animal shelters and rescues, she said. Her shop has names of kennel clubs and others who can be contacted.
Starting next week, the shop will hold a fundraiser for Far Point Collie Rescue known as "undecorate the Christmas tree." Money from dog and cat items sold from the tree will go to the rescue.
Despite being born blind and deaf, Bella plays with everyone who comes into The Pet Platoon Pet Supplies Shop.
She and her brother Benny were the result of breeding of blue merle rough collies that should not have been done, according to Yvonne Roadarmel of Far Point Collie Rescue. She said the breeder wanted nothing to do with the pups and gave them away, resulting in her rescue about a month ago.
Dave Fumanti and his wife, Judy, who own the pet shop at 246 N. Derr Drive, met Bella, now 7 months, through Donna Riccio, who was keeping the puppy at the time.
"She came into the store to look for treats for her that smelled good and told us her story. We gave her puppy treats that she loved," Mr. Fumanti said.
Later, they went for lunch and not realizing that Ms. Riccio worked at the establishment, saw Bella again and decided to adopt her.
Bella has lived with them and gone to work with them the past three weeks. Bella senses someone coming in the shop through vibrations and the rustling of air, Judy said.
"She knows the baskets that the treats are in," she said.
The eyes of Bella and her twin Benny, who are spayed and neutered respectively, never developed. Their eyelids have been sutured to prevent debris from entering and causing infection.
Bella, who was almost housebroken when they got her, will bark when she plays and "when she's real excited," Judy said.
The nearly pure white Bella gets along with the Fumantis' other dogs.
"She's very spunky. She just started learning to go up steps and started to do it all by herself. She knows the layout here and follows customers around by scent," Judy said.
The pet shop is holding a fundraiser for Benny, who required costly medical treatment for mange. They are selling raffle tickets with the customers choosing which prizes they want to try to win. The raffle ends Saturday. Benny also loves to play with toys and people, is housebroken, loves to play with Ms. Roadarmels' other dogs and is able to find his way down her deck steps to the yard and back again.
Judy said it took Bella about two hours to learn the layout of their store.
"She has no clue she has any problems. She adapted to her world," she said.
They communicate with her by tapping her three times on the side as a signal to play, by tapping her nose if she is into something she shouldn't be, by rubbing her chin so she knows a treat is coming and petting her head when she is good.
Benny, who is larger than Bella, can hear a little. Ms. Roadarmel has listed him on a Web site of disabled pets up for adoption. The Fumantis understood there is someone interested in adopting him.
Judy said people should not obtain dogs from "backyard breeders" such as where Bella and Benny were born. "She has surrendered her animals," Judy said of that breeder.
"Pennsylvania is one of the top puppy mill states in the country. It's horrible," she said.
Anyone wanting a puppy or a dog should contact a reputable breeder, animal shelters and rescues, she said. Her shop has names of kennel clubs and others who can be contacted.
Starting next week, the shop will hold a fundraiser for Far Point Collie Rescue known as "undecorate the Christmas tree." Money from dog and cat items sold from the tree will go to the rescue.