Welcome to Geneva Davis-Wheaton's Home Page

Fred's only caveat was that we adopt a dog with minimal shedding. We walked into the Washington Animal Rescue League thinking that we would ultimately be taking home a lively, playful dog that we could start a toy basket for, and take on walks and trips. As we walked through the dog room, one caught my eye—a shepherd mix named Geneva.

While all of the other dogs were working themselves up into a frenzy trying to attract our attention, Geneva was laying on the floor with her back to us. When her cage was opened, she got up and came over wagging her tail. She looked at me with the saddest eyes and then buried her face in my chest. I knew we had to take this one.

We learned that Geneva had come into the Rescue League with a bad case of kennel cough and that she was suffering from Heartworm Disease, for which she would be treated. She had obviously been a mom before and she had had a rough start in life.

We started the adoption process knowing that Geneva was going to undergo treatment for her Heartworm Disease and that if she came home to us, she would be on a severely restricted activity level for 8 weeks or more. Initially, it looked like we might not be able to get Geneva, but everything fell into place and we brought our girl home on February 24, 2005.

Shortly after we brought her home, Geneva came down with pneumonia, had to be treated for mange on her ear, and we learned from her chest x-ray that she had been shot in the past.

Many trips to the vet and one month of antibiotics later, Geneva has fully recovered from the pneumonia and the fur on her ear is growing back. Her racing stripes are going away. We have had to reexamine our lofty goals because Neva is the antithesis of the type of dog we thought we would adopt: she has no interest in toys, we still cannot take her for walks or let her run around, and she suffers from motion sickness, so trips in the car are stressful for everyone. Also, being a shepherd, her job in life seems to be shedding.

Despite her travel woes, Geneva enjoys her destination thoroughly. She loves people and kids and can win over just about anyone. We are working on socializing her, and she is beginning to genuinely like her "brothers," Buford and Baron.

— Renee Davis, 04/13/05

Picture Gallery

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Washington Animal Rescue League

The Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) is a private, not-for-profit animal welfare organization that provides care and compassion to homeless animals throughout the Washington, DC region.

Last updated April 22, 2005; page maintained by Geneva's dad