Ranchers Fall in Love With ‘Feral’ Carolina Dingo Dog Who Wandered onto Driveway For Help
Sometimes, a relationship is simply meant to be. This is precisely how the dog mom and rancher behind Wildway Ranch feels about her new best friend, Leia, after the dog quite literally wandered into her life one sunny Saturday–and it’s easy to see why. Even though the stray dog’s arrival wasn’t expected, she fits in on the North Carolina ranch as if she’s been there all along. (see video below)
On May 5, the adventure began when a friendly but skinny stray dog “ran” into the driveway of Wildway Ranch, where a kind woman welcomed her and tended to her dirty, tick-infested fur. Little did either of them know that this simple act of kindness would change both of their lives for the better.
Showing a Canine the Ultimate Kindness
As soon as Leia found her way to the 1860’s ranch home, her new friend secured her on a leash, gave her plenty of water, and started to clean her up. She quickly removed over ten ticks and noticed dozens of fleas. Still, the kind dog easily accepted the bathing, brushing, and scrubbing. Once she was clean and fed, Leia was given a safe place to sleep in the barn so that she wouldn’t pass any fleas or other conditions to the ranch’s current four-legged residents. However, she wasn’t afraid to let her new friends know that that plan didn’t work for her!
After all, this dog had been a stray before she found her way to Wildway Ranch, and she quickly demonstrated why by escaping the barn more than once. She couldn’t come inside yet, though, and her rescuers accepted that she wouldn’t be around for long.
But the very next morning, they found her curled up on the welcome mat at the foot of their front door! Clearly, she found somewhere she wanted to stay.
A Carolina Dog for a Carolina Home
Her new owners were delighted that she stuck around, but they made sure to bring her to the vet before making things official. They checked for a microchip to no avail, and they located several health concerns that needed to be treated. She was immediately started on flea and tick medication, as well as a treatment for intestinal parasites, but the most interesting news of all was finding out her breed.
This one-year-old dog is thought to be a Carolina Dog, so it’s even more serendipitous that she found herself a home on a North Carolina homestead. As the rancher explained, Carolina Dogs are “an ancient and now rare breed that’s known for being feral,” even earning the nickname ‘the American Dingo.’ It’s very possible that Leia never had a home before wandering onto Wildway Ranch, but her friendliness around new people also hints that she’s been around humans before.
Helping a Former Stray Dog Stay Forever
Because Leia was found as a stray and repeatedly escaped from the barn, her new family got the hint that keeping her confined wasn’t going to work. Instead of making her an indoor dog or challenging her escape artist instincts with a fence, they installed an invisible fence so she could have space to roam and run. But if you ask her, Leia will tell you that she isn’t going anywhere! She’s already bonded so much with her new family,
But there were still a few more family members to meet! There are already a few dogs at Wildway Ranch, and Leia had a wonderful time meeting Stella, the German Shepherd sweetheart. Both girls are calm and submissive, and their introduction is the stuff dog owners’ dreams are made of.
What a gorgeous moment! Between the vivid sunset, the relaxed energy from both dogs, and the happy ending (or beginning, really) that Leia is getting, it’s hard to imagine a more perfect scenario. It’s easy to see why Leia’s new owners believe she was meant to be theirs!
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