Advertisement

In the saga of Sasha the stray, more trouble

Share

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Today, Times staff writer Jerry Hirsch continues his chronicle of Sasha, a husky he encountered on a street in downtown Los Angeles. Hirsch brought Sasha home, only to discover she liked to wander... and that healthcare for animals who like to roam is expensive. Look for periodic updates on Sasha in the weeks to come on L.A. Unleashed.

Sasha the stray is finally starting to settle into our house. She escaped from crates and through fences but after fits and starts we’ve been able to round her up and keep her safe. She’s now pretty much recovered from fleas, parasites and a mashed paw.

Advertisement

She has a gorgeous snow white coat and piercing blue eyes.

But is Sasha is healthy enough and calm enough for Jennifer to leave the animal alone in the house while she takes our 14-year-old daughter and yellow Labrador retriever shopping to Fashion Island in Newport Beach?

Big mistake. Really big mistake! I am just getting off my bicycle, having ridden 101 miles to San Diego. I’m bushed and waiting around for the train to bring me back to Irvine, where a friend has a car waiting.

The phone rings. Jennifer explains how Sasha trashed the house.

We are already $1,000 into this dog’s rescue and the cash register keeps ringing. Even worse, no one will adopt this puppy now. You just can’t keep this behavior a secret.

When Jennifer left, Sasha tried to go too. A mere wooden door, wood windows, a couch — those are only obstacles in this dog’s mind. This dog has serious separation issues.

Sasha has chewed apart the molding around the front door, gouged claw marks into the door’s wood panels, and eaten away at three wood windows, crushing the wood and cracking multiple panes. And in her fury to get out, gouged a hole in a $1,000 couch.

I am guessing that in total this is $3,000 to $4,000 in house damage. I can’t really be mad at Jennifer — I am the stupid one for bringing the stray home. Still, I am angry and only Jennifer’s pleading keeps me from taking the dog to the pound with the shortest route to the doggie gas chamber.

Advertisement

She has 24 hours to find Sasha a home.

Advertisement