Community Corner

Pet of the Week: Betty

Meet Phyllis McArthur's beloved puppy, Betty

For this week's Pet of the Week, Phyllis McArthur submitted her 17-month-old terrier mix, Betty.

"We got our sweet girl last September from Pets In Need in Redwood City. Betty was actually the first puppy I saw in her enclosure  with her 4 siblings. She literally threw herself at me barking to get close," McArthur said. "That's all I needed to know. I asked them to wrap her up, because I was taking her home."

After filling out the necessary paperwork and doing interviews with the shelter, the McArthurs were able to bring Betty home --- where she quickly made her mark.

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"[In] the first couple of months Betty chewed a few pairs of shoes, two belts and the leg to our couch. When we tried a baby gate to keep her in the kitchen, she ate the baby gate! Yummy. Eventually she convinced me to put away my shoes, or else," McArthur said. "When she started to eat the deck in the back yard, we used Tabasco sauce on the areas that interested her. It worked."

Initially, Betty had a strange bedtime routine.

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"Right around 10 p.m., she would just get very spooked and acted frightened, looking for a way out," McArthur said. "We finally figured it out. We got Betty when Pets in Need was at the old location, right next to railroad tracks in Redwood City on Main Street. Every night at 10 p.m., a freight train screamed by the shelter."

"She was born in the shelter so it must have been awful for her and her siblings to endure this every night. We decided to do something at that same time, either throw a ball, or cuddle or teach her tricks. We changed the routine every night so she knew it would be a fun positive experience but it would change daily. It was at least four months before she got over her 10 p.m. fear, but she finally did," McArthur said.

Despite her bumpy beginning, Betty has found a happy home on the other side of the railroad tracks.

"We love her so much and she makes us laugh," McArthur said. "Sometimes I think she does things just to crack us up! Yesterday she picked up one of her balls, and literally threw it at me and hit me in the forehead. When I looked over at her I swear she looked like she was laughing."

Want to nominate your pet for Foster City Patch's Pet of the Week? We want to feature both rescue animals and family pets alike! Send a photo and description to sarahy@patch.com


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