Monty

Monty’s story reads like a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. Once upon a time there were two Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers living in North Carolina who were sent to a boarding kennel while their owners went on vacation. The owners never returned for them. The dogs spent the next three years at the kennel, and although they were very well cared for there, it was not the same as living in a home with a family. Eventually one of the dogs was adopted, leaving 9-year-old Monty (then known as Matty) all alone.

Lora and Bill Prisock who adopted Matty’s brother notified WIN about Matty’s plight. Linda and Mike Arnaud went to the kennel to meet him and found him to be a very sweet dog. They agreed to be his foster parents until the perfect new home could be found.

It didn’t take long for that perfect new home to come along. A continent away, in far away Homer, Alaska, Jim and Denise Hansen were still grieving for their rescue boy Sunny, who passed away in October. Denise saw Mike’s Facebook posts about Matty and just had to have him. The Hansens have always had a soft spot for older and special needs dogs, and everyone agreed that Monty, as he is now to be known, would have more than enough love and attention to compensate for three years of homelessness.

On Thursday, December 15th, Mike and Linda drove Monty to Raleigh-Durham International Airport to send him on his way. In a stunning and generous move, Kathy Danker, dog lover and head of Cargo Sales at Alaska Airlines – touched by Monty’s story – agreed to a substantial discount in Monty’s airfare. Those who know Denise are familiar with her many charitable works, so it was a well-deserved gift.

Monty thrived in his new home and fit right in with his new brother and sister. The Hansens showered him with affection and tried to make up for the wasted years he had spent in the kennel. Monty died on October 12, 2019, one day after his 12th birthday.