A local Linville author recently joined forces with Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge to foster a little semi- feral dog christened Ladybug.
Sharon Landis had forgotten about the application she had filled out online to foster a dog. On New Year’s Day, 2024, a fearful little black dog, originally from the Page County Animal Shelter, was transported by DDBBR to Sharon’s front door at her home, Starry Meadows.
Seeing how afraid this quivering bundle of fur was, made Sharon, just for a second, wonder what on earth had she signed up for!
As the owner of 2 other dogs, and author of a book, Who Will Come for Pup, about a previous dog she had fostered, Sharon was willing to give it a try. Ladybug was so afraid, and so badly in need of an understanding heart and safe haven, Sharon and her husband, Jay (the farmer), knew they could not turn her away.
Turnip, her 13 year old dog, and TikTok, her trained therapy Australian cattle dog, were instrumental in helping the frightened Ladybug overcome fears and hurdles.
Ladybug and her companion Sam, were left to fend for themselves for a long time. She had become nocturnal, a safer way to be outside, under cover of darkness, to scavenge for food. Dogs Deserve Better had taken her to the vet to be evaluated. She had at least two litters, and was barely much older than 2 years. Fortunately, her heartworm test was negative, but she was diagnosed with 3 types tick diseases – Lymes, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma. Treated by the vet, she was spayed and given her rabies vaccine. It was overwhelming for a little dog to handle after living on her own for so long.
It truly takes a village, and although Sharon’s consistency and patience with Ladybug were a major component in bringing her out of her shell, there are many other people involved in this rescue including Tracey Riggs of Dogs Deserve Better, Page County Shelter, dog behaviorist Erika Renee, and Sharon’s dog, TikTok.
As a writer, Sharon couldn’t help but chronicle Ladybug’s progress on Facebook. Linking to Dogs Deserve Better FB page, the story amassed a growing group of followers, who became dedicated to reading about the daily and tiny steps forward, as the relationship between the Landis family, TikTok, Turnip, and the semi-feral Ladybug, progressed.
TikTok, the sweet therapy cattle dog, became Ladybug’s best friend and the one who would encourage her to take those steps forward- leaving the safety of her crate, walking through scary doorways, moving into the living area of the house, and actually playing with toys. Considering what her previous life consisted of, from what the rescue assumed, she and Sam scrounged for food, mostly under cover of darkness, to avoid being chased by people. The house they lived in, or near, burned, making survival, particularly in the winter, even more difficult. Humans were to be feared, not trusted. It wasn’t until Ladybug was hit by a car, that she was able to be captured. Her companion, Sam, was only recently trapped, and at this writing, is looking for a foster.
According to Sharon, this is what dog behaviorist, Erika Renee, shared with her. In part, Erika “specializes in semi-feral of village dogs, as she calls the ones who live in a village, and aren’t totally wild, but are way under socialized……they often get shot at, yelled at, shooed away, or have things thrown at them…..angry people pop out of doors to scare them away, thus their total fear of doors and doorways.”
Amazingly, according to Sharon, it only took 29 days to change Ladybug “from a frozen lump of fear…..to gaining confidence and recalling on a long line!”
Initially, simple daily occurrences were enough to send Ladybug scurrying for cover or the safety of her crate. A dropped fork, wind chimes tinkling in a strong wind, the bumping of the dryer. She has almost completely turned around, but is still very much a work in progress and of love. Every new experience has Sharon right there to comfort the little dog and assure her everything is ok.
A recent visit to the Landis home found Ladybug resting on the couch, not running in fear from a stranger (me). She was taking treats, allowing her feet to be touched, having her chin gently scratched, and meeting my gaze! A few short weeks earlier, none of this would have been possible! Ladybug today is a study in patience and love, where Sharon and her husband have proved all things are possible. The title of one of her books, The Spacious Heart, is the perfect description of the room in her heart for one little dog!
As of February 21st, Ladybug has transformed from a formerly feral foster fail to a formally adopted family member! A foster fail occurs when the people who foster cannot bear to give the animal up. Sharon, Ray, TikTok, and Turnip all fell in love with Ladybug, and she has been officially adopted into the Landis family!
If you would like to follow the progress of this lucky little dog, and read in more detail, you can check out “the Ladybug chronicles” posts on Sharon C. Landis’ Facebook page. Don’t be surprised if another book comes out of this adventure!
Also on Facebook, the page for the Landis farm/retreat – Starry Meadows
Books by Sharon Clymer Landis can be found at J&B Country Store in Broadway, on Amazon.
If interested in fostering or adopting, there are many places to find animals who need loving homes. The nonprofit organization where Ladybug came from is Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge, which can be found on FB and their website is dogsdeservebetterblueridge.org 434-264-6170
