Vance Alexander Shepherd

How Amanda came across him:
After Hurricane Katrina hit the New Orleans area, I'd read about groups going down there to help rescue animals. The main group was Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, an animal rescue operation temporarily located in Tylertown, Miss. A friend and I drove down there to volunteer for a week in November 2005.

Rescue groups were bringing in packs of dogs each day. I spotted a 6-month-old Australian Shepherd mix. He'd been on the streets with a pack of other puppies for two months before the Best Friends staff trapped him.

What was the shelter like?
There were about 800 animals at the shelter – probably 500 were dogs, with the rest being cats, rabbits, snakes, goats and chickens. We slept in tents, showered outside, ate exclusively vegan (which was very good) and the work never ended except when we slept.

How did you connect with Vance?
I'd grown up with German Shepherds, so I was naturally drawn to him. He was scared to death. The behavioral therapist on staff encouraged us to stop and pet the dogs to make them accustomed to human touch. Every time I had a spare moment, I'd pick him up.

Amanda's brood: Puppy, Beatrice, Hillary, Vance and Abby.

Did you know you'd bring him home?
I'd made a vow not to bring a dog home. I already had several big dogs at home. I did not need another dog. But that didn't work. It felt like fate. I could not leave him there.

How was the transition?
The behavioralist said Vance would gladly accept the last position in a pack and never challenge for a promotion. That is very much true – he's everybody's friend.

He fits right in with my other dogs. He loves them and they love him. It's just a great situation. He loves people and crowds, and he's also content to play by himself. He's not scared of storms like you'd think he would be. But he is scared of doors, which is challenging when trying to get him inside.

Why him?
He has a white spot on his head that looks like a heart. It's just the sweetest little thing. It's also in the shape of a V, so I named him Vance Alexander, after Vance Slankard, a sweet kid in my neighborhood who likes to go with me when I walk the dogs. Vance the kid is 19 now.

And the Alexander part?
Alexander is my dad's middle name.

So it's all worked out?
Yes. I fell in love with him. I said, "You need to be a Kentucky Wildcat." Then I put him in my car and drove him home.

---