Belladonna has a very special story. You see, she was a research dog. Sadly, she was used for research up at the University of Utah. In her mom’s words, Sandee says that…..”She started life out as an unwanted puppy at the animal shelter and was then taken up to the research center where she was in an antibiotic study for 1 year. They kept open wounds on her front legs and tested different antibiotic ointments on them. Even a few years later, she still can’t grow hair on those areas.” However, unlike so many research dogs, Belladonna’s story turns out to be a happy one – after a year of being subject to these  experiments it took another year for her mommy – Sandee who works up at the University of Utah in another department to find Belladonna and to go through the process of getting her released from the research center and for Sandee to adopt her.

Since Belladonna’s been adopted, she has fully recovered. It did take some time however – you see, Belladonna had never peed outside of a wire cage since she was just a pup and it took a lot of learning to teach her to go on the grass, instead of a wire cage.  In fact, it took a very long time for the lines of the wire cage to fade from her paws. Now Belladonna enjoys all the treats she can eat and all the squeaky toys she can chew up. She also loves the snow and loves catching snowballs.

She is one happy dog these days and it was an honor to document the special bond and the love that Sandee and Belladonna share.