DALLAS, Pennsylvania — In this week's 16 To The Rescue, we meet a 2-year-old lab mix who rescue workers think needs a little more exposure to find his forever home.
"Jasper is a very, very, very goofy dog. He has a huge personality. All he wants to do is play and be with you. He loves going for walks," said Emma Ripka, a worker at Blue Chip Farm Animal Refuge in Luzerne County.
He loves going for walks, even if he gets a little distracted. It is one of the things rescue workers at Blue Chip Farm Animal Refuge love about Jasper—and how much he loves getting in your space.
Jasper was born in a shelter 2 years ago. His mom and the rest of the litter were adopted before the shelter closed, so rescue workers at the shelter near Dallas took him in over the summer. Jasper can be afraid of new things sometimes, but rescue workers think it is only because he has only ever lived in a shelter.
"It just takes him a few weeks to really get used to his environment. So, he needs somebody who is going to understand that and is going to give him the few weeks to be fully comfortable," Ripka explained.
Jasper was born with some neurological issues, likely from his mom being sick when she had her puppies since Jasper's brother has the same problems. He is not on any medications, though, and rescue workers say once he gets used to his surroundings, he can pretty much do anything.
"He does have some vision issues, but he is not blind. It just seems more like depth perception is not the best with him. He has a very hard time walking on hardwood flooring. If you put a carpet down and he has a few weeks to get used to it, he eventually does walk on them," said Ripka.
Jasper can go to a home with cats and other dogs. But if there is another dog in the home, it should be one who doesn't mind Jasper's lack of understanding boundaries. Teenagers are OK too, but not younger kids.
"Sometimes he can play rough, but we do believe it's because he can't fully see it. So, if you're holding a toy, sometimes he can accidentally grab your hand. It's not mean, but as soon as you make a noise and he realizes it's not the toy that he grabbed, he will correct himself," said Ripka.
Jasper should also go to a home that's only one floor because he can really only do two or three steps at a time. The stairs are not a deal-breaker, though, because this 70-pound lab mix does not mind being carried.
Rescue workers wanted to feature Jasper on this week's 16 To The Rescue because they know he will make a family really happy; they just need to meet him in person to see how special he is.
"There's no reason for him to be here. He's a great dog, and he just needs the perfect home and more exposure," Ripka said.
If would like to meet Jasper, you can find his adoption information by clicking here.
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