Honey the husky improving after health problems discovered following return to shelter

LAKELAND, Fla. - A husky that was returned after an adoption event for "being boring" is getting a fresh start. Honey the Husky has garnered the attention of thousands on social media when it was shared that a Tampa family that adopted her during a Mega Adoption event returned her for not eating, drinking, or interacting.

"The prior owner had her for I want to say five years, had allergy problems so they took her into a shelter in Orlando. The dog stayed there for two months," Julie Bassett, owner of Husky Life Rescue in Lakeland, said.

That's when the dog was enrolled into the Mega Adoption event. The Tampa family that adopted her were told she was 10 years old.

"I guess she got adopted there and in whatever amount of time, the new adopter said that she was too boring, there was not enough activity," Bassett said.

Bassett jumped at the chance to adopt Honey from Hillsborough County Animal Services.

"I said, ‘alright let me go get another one’. The age doesn’t bother me. I have seniors and if they never go anywhere , I’m fine with that," she said. But once she and her husband picked up Honey from the shelter, she knew immediately something was wrong. "We had to carry her to the truck because she was so weak," she said.

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The couple took Honey to North Polk Animal Hospital.

"Honey was kind of bad when we first got her. We weren’t sure she was going to survive the pancreatitis," veterinarian Dr. Y said.

Honey was also diagnosed with a UTI and severe kennel cough. Staff quickly learned Honey isn't 10 years old. She's 15.

"Now we have some medications that are extremely effective and pancreatitis therapy, so we were able to isolate that, apply the appropriate medications," he said. "She’s doing much better in just two days."

Staff said she's getting her personality back and she's sweet as honey.

"Oh, she’s a big lover. She is a big lover," Dr. Y said. "Some of the girls will sit on the floor and she will plop her head right down there and she wants to have her belly rubs and all of that."

Dr. Y said if she hadn't been taken in for medical care when she was, she may not have survived. But now she is expected to make a full recovery.

Bassett hopes new and future pet owners learn from this case. "I’m not knocking anybody but a responsible dog owner, once a year at least take your dog to the vet. Make sure it has all of its vaccinations," she said, "If you see your dog is acting a little strange. There’s a reason they’re acting. It’s not always just age."

Bassett is still uncertain whether she plans to keep Honey under her wing once she recovers or give her to a loving family.

For more information about Husky Life Rescue, click here.

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