Last Muddy Paws Survivor Finds Home

Finding a permanent home has been a long road for 4-year-old Sasha, a German shepherd-husky mix found almost starved to death at the Dog Rescue.

“She was the skinniest, most emaciated of the four that survived,” says Libertyville Director Sandy Wisniewski. “She weighed 17 pounds, whereas now at her ideal weight, she’s 45 pounds. She had to be kept in the animal hospital overnight with IV fluids.”

Four surviving dogs were found on the premises of the Muddy Paws shelter, where 34 dogs were found dead along with several other animals. The Deer Park shelter since has been shut down, and its owner, Diane Eldrup, charged with numerous counts of animal cruelty.

Sasha, and the other three surviving dogs initially were taken to Lake County Animal Control, where they received medical treatment. But later they were sent to , where Wisniewski monitored their conditions and found foster and permanent homes for the dogs.

The three other surviving dogs were adopted earlier this year. This summer, Sasha was adopted by Round Lake Beach residents Kristin Whetstone and Jordon Kessler. Whetstone and Kessler initially were drawn to Sasha from a photo posted on pet rescue websites like Petfinder.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, she’s adorable,’ ” Whetstone says. “Then I talked to Sandy and she told me the whole story. How could we not? We had to get her.”

Whetstone and Kessler rescued another dog, Embry, two years ago. The two dogs get along well and play together outside the couple’s suburban home. Whetstone, whose mother is a veterinarian, grew up around animals and believes she’s a good fit for providing homes to rescue dogs.

“I knew the story of what happened at Muddy Paws,” she says. “They said that when they tried to put an IV in her, her skin cracked because it was so dehydrated. After she was better, she was in a foster home for six months. I want to give her the peace of mind that she’s not going anywhere.”

Wisniewski says that having the last victim of Muddy Paws adopted is a relief.

“She’s not coming back,” Wisniewski says. “She’s got a really wonderful home. Now that they’re all safe, I can continue to concentrate my efforts in making sure that the general public is aware of what’s going on with the Muddy Paws case.”

Wisniewski has started a blog to inform readers of the criminal case against Eldrup.

“Even though they’re all adopted, this shouldn’t just go away,” Wisniewski explains. “These animals suffered horribly. This will set a precedent in Lake County. People can’t go around doing that. They’ll be prosecuted and they’ll go to jail. This is a big deal.”

The next hearing in the Muddy Paws case is today, at 9 a.m. If .