Sable - Reunited 1/11/25

Some dogs stay in your heart long after they’ve been rescued. Sable is one of those dogs.

In the South, breeds like Huskies, Pyrenees, and Pit Bulls are often dumped once people realize they aren’t prepared for the commitment of an energetic working dog. But one of the most commonly abandoned breeds? German Shepherds and Malinois. These dogs are fiercely loyal, hardworking, and highly intelligent—qualities that make them amazing companions if they’re placed in the right homes.

Sadly, Sable wasn’t.

For four months, Sable wandered the same neighborhood where she had been abandoned, loyal to the last place she’d known as home. She waited, searching for familiar faces that never came. Her heartbreaking loyalty kept her in one spot, despite the odds stacked against her.

Amber, a determined animal lover, contacted Anakin’s Trails, desperate to help Sable find safety. But first, we had to secure someone willing to take her in—a family who could give her the love and structure she needed.

Thankfully, Amber found that someone. A former animal trainer who had even been featured on Animal Planet stepped up to offer Sable the home she’d been waiting for. With the rescue lined up, it was time to trap her.

The plan was set for a snowy evening, but when the weather took a dangerous turn, we had to make the difficult decision to wait. Sable would have to endure one more night in the cold and snow.

The next morning, reports came in that Sable was spotted playing in the snow in someone’s backyard. She had made it through the storm, and she was loving every moment of it. It was GO TIME.

By 11:00 AM, Sharon, Beth, Joyce, and I hit the road to set the trap. After four long months, it was time to bring Sable home.

Setting up the trap didn’t go as smoothly as planned. What should have taken 30 minutes turned into a two-hour ordeal when I realized that I hadn’t charged a crucial battery. 🙈 (Hey, I’m still learning! Before this rescue work, I didn’t even know how to drive a truck!) Beth dashed off to the auto store to grab a replacement, and we got back on track.

With everything in place, we baited the trap and prepared for the long wait.

As the sun dipped lower and the temperatures dropped, we were getting ready to head back to Greenville when suddenly, a familiar white blur appeared.

It was Sable.

She cautiously approached the trap, and moments later, the camera captured the best image we could have hoped for—Sable, safe inside the enclosure! Beth jumped out of the truck and ran to meet her, greeted by the most beautiful, soulful eyes staring back at her.

Joyce, Sharon, and I arrived moments later, and we all took turns entering the trap to love on this sweet girl. Sable took her time smelling each of us, searching for a familiar scent. But the scent of her past owners—the ones who had abandoned her—wasn’t there.

Instead, she found a new kind of connection.

When Brian, the trainer who had agreed to take her in, gently touched her, you could see a light flicker in Sable’s eyes—a spark of recognition that human touch could mean safety and love. Overcome with emotion, she leapt up and wagged her tail, basking in the attention she had long been denied.

After months of stealing shoes off porches and surviving on scraps, Sable’s life had changed forever.

She was heading home.

No more roaming the neighborhood searching for what was lost. No more cold nights alone. No more wondering if someone would come back for her.

Welcome to your new beginning, Sable. You’ve got a family now. ❤️🐾