Sassy was a neglect case, one of 26 animals confiscated from one family.   She had severe mange and had lost most of her hair because of it and flea dermititus.  She also had ear mites.

Nov. 30, 2004:  Sassy is getting her vaccinations, being wormed, and being treated for the mange and ear mites. A skin scrape was done by the vet and diagnosed as sarcoptic mange, very contagious to other dogs but also very curable with no long-term effects.  She also tested negative for heartworms.   Weight: 8 lbs.  Sassy has an abdominal scar which the vet says appears to be from a C-Section and thinks that Sassy was probably spayed at the same time.  (most likely was bred with a dog that was too big and made a C-section necessary)  The vet advised waiting to see if Sassy comes into a heat rather than do surgery that may be unnecessary. 

New pictures of her and updates will be posted as she recuperates and as we learn about her personality.

Dec. 1, 2004

Sassy has very little hair and lots of lesions from the fleas and scratching.

Update Jan. 7, 2005:  The shelter said that Sassy was timid.  I think she was just scared and not well because now she is very frisky and playful.   She and Sammy play chase and Sassy runs so fast that the pup can not catch her.

Update: 4/11/05 ....Sassy has been adopted!  Her new home will be in Manhattan, N.Y. - an upscale apartment with a park across the street.  Her new mom is a retired professional and will be home with her most of the time.  The new mom has had small terriers - 3 of them over a span of 32 years.  Her most recent one passed away in January 2005.  Sassy will be the center of attention.  When her mom must be away or gone for more than a few hours, she will have a pet sitter to keep her company - one that has cared for the other terriers for 26 years.

Sassy leaves April 19th.  Her new mom is flying into Tri-Cities Airport in Kingsport, Tn. to get her.  Sassy will be with her as carry-on luggage, not in the baggage compartment. 

Have a happy life Sassy!   From such a rough background you deserve a chance to be healthy, loved and happy.

Sassy with her new mom at the airport 4/19/05

 Kingsport Times News - Kingsport, Tn.

Woman travels from Manhattan to adopt neglected dog from SW Va.
Sunday, April 24, 2005

By J. ANN TIPTON
Reporter

When Manhattan resident Tomi Manikas did an Internet search for adoptable dogs, it was with the eyes of a tiny terrier mix named Sassy that she fell in love.

It didn't matter the dog was in Lee County, Va., 600 miles southwest of her West 72nd Street apartment. She'd do whatever it took to adopt the 8-pound bundle of fur. Even fly all the way to Blountville to collect her new confidant and best friend.

The scrappy little canine has quite a story: She's just one of 26 dogs that were confiscated from a house in Pikeville, Ky., late last year. Pet rescuers don't believe the dogs were physically abused, but they had definitely been neglected.

Plagued with mange, ear mites, worms and overgrown toenails, Sassy eventually found her way to a pet rescuer in Jonesville named Billie Sue Bruce. Bruce owns and operates Save Just One, a dog rescue and adoption organization that saves canines from euthanization in animal shelters and finds good homes for unwanted pooches. Over the five and a half years it's been in existence, Bruce has saved 245 dogs.

It's a passion she'll openly talk about.

"Every year there are more than 7 million dogs put to sleep because there aren't enough homes to take all of them," Bruce said. "There ought to be better solutions than spending money to kill these loving animals."

Every one Bruce rescues holds a special place in her heart, Sassy especially. The little, neglected dog's personality started to emerge as soon as she started receiving medical attention.

"I call her my little love sponge," Bruce said. "She soaks up all the love I give her, probably because she didn't get much attention from her previous owners."

Bruce maintains a Web site, www.savejustone.com, with pictures of dogs available for adoption. The dogs are also listed on a national register, www.petfinder.com - how Manikas first found Sassy.

But Bruce said she's had people come from farther than New York's upper west side to adopt a dog.

"About three weekends a month, I'm driving to either Kingsport or Corbin, Kentucky, to meet people from all over who adopt," Bruce said.

Folks from Louisiana, Baltimore, New Hampshire and St. Louis have adopted dogs from Bruce.

Manikas, a retired publishing executive, has been a terrier owner for more than 30 years, she said. Until now, she'd purchased her pets from breeders, but she decided to go the adoption route this time. When Manikas saw the pictures of Sassy after she'd been taken out of what she called a "canine concentration camp," Manikas said she knew she had to have her.

"Tomi said she'd fly down here to pick Sassy up," Bruce said. "And that clinched it for me. I knew this was the right woman to adopt this sweet dog."

For Manikas, the connection she felt with Sassy, even just by seeing her pictures on a screen, was magnified tenfold when she first laid eyes on the terrier on Tuesday.

"What a survivor she is," Manikas said as she cradled the pup in her arms. "When I get her home, she'll take over Manhattan."

Some pictures of Sassy included in update emails:

In the park May 10, 2005

Wearing her new soft halter - July 16, 2005
(She is certainly looking happy and beautiful now.  Thanks to Tomi, her mom.)