Hope the Elderly Chihuahua Improves With Each Day

“Hope is the thing with feathers,” Emily Dickinson told us. Turns out, Hope is also the thing with fur.

When a 14-year-old Chihuahua was left outside a Waterford shelter on July 31, her future was wildly uncertain. Animal Control Officer Robert Yuchniuk thought she might have to be euthanized due to aggressiveness toward humans and health issues, such as her incontinence.

But now, four days later, she is like a new dog and was given a fitting name — Hope — because in the midst of great setbacks, the little Chihuahua proved that she had a whole lot of it.

“With the help of my #1 volunteer Jessica Hamilton, we were able to cut this poor pup’s nails, some of which were curled over and digging into her foot pads,” Yuchniuk said via Facebook. “She took this like a champ, without much wiggling at all, after we were done, she was like a new dog! She is now wagging her tail, and prancing around like a rock star!”

Even better news — Hope is not incontinent or completely blind, as was originally thought.

“She just did not like to get up and walk out to do her business,” Yuchniuk said. “She is not as lame as I thought. These symptoms have all seemed to clear up after doing her nails.”

Initially, it was thought that Hope was completely blind but the animal control officer said he doesn’t think she is, but she does have cataracts.

“Today is a great day,” he said.

Photo: Jessica Hamilton holds Hope the Chihuahua. Credit: Waterford-East Lyme Animal Shelter