News

Noah the rescued pitbull becomes link in chain of love

Vannoy Construction workers and Blue Ridge Humane Society celebrate a $1,000 donation to help cover Noah's vet bills. [PHOTO BY ASHLEY ELDER/Hendersonville Lightning]

By Ashley Elder, Published: February 11, 2016

Noah could smell his future getting brighter this morning when Brian Walker gave a $1,000 check to the Blue Ridge Humane Society to help with the rescued dog’s medical expenses.

Walker and his team of Vannoy construction workers who are building the Health Sciences Center on the Pardee Hospital campus had been feeding the 4-year-old pit bull mix since September. News coverage of his life on a short chain in a cold rain beside a dilapidated doghouse went viral shortly after the workers named him Demo.
Upon further investigation by Hendersonville Police Chief Herbert Blake, the owner decided to give the dog up. Noah was then surrendered to activists Theresa Kisielewsky and Vallerie Lamoureux from UnChain Hendersonville. They took him to the Blue Ridge Humane Society, where workers gave him food, shelter and medical care. They named him Noah.
“It’s always good to see a neglected dog get a good home,” said Walker, who is project manager for the $30 million health and education facility.
Walker’s mother rescued dogs when he was growing up.
“It was pitiful. It was on everyone’s mind,” he said of Noah’s poor living conditions.
Jimmy Benfield led the charge and the other construction workers followed, Walker said.
Taking care of animals is not cheap.
An animal lover, Benfield said he grew up with every kind of animal you can imagine.
“I can sleep now,” he said. “I couldn’t sleep at night.”
Benfield brought Noah food every morning.
“Seeing him now, I know he will find a good home,” Benfield said.
Benfield said he currently travels a lot but may try to adopt Noah.
“He’d be spoiled to death,” he said.

Noah's fame has grown.

“There have been a lot of people calling and asking about him, but we haven’t found the right fit yet,” said Eryn Carper, shelter director at Blue Ridge Humane Society. The calls have even come from as far as Canada. Noah seems to like everyone he meets, though he's more cautious with his fellow four-legged creatures.
“He does prefer to be the only child,” she said. “He firmly believes he’s a lap dog. ... I think Noah would like to be couch potato.”
“He does need to be the only critter in the home,” Carper said. “He prefers that and he deserves that after this.”
She said the main thing the shelter is looking for is a loving home where he can get spoiled.
Blue Ridge Human Society Executive Director Lutrelle O’Cain said, “We hope it brings awareness to animals that are not in a good situation.”
Noah responded well to medical attention. He was put on antibiotics at first to treat internal parasites and puncture wounds. Noah is the perfect example of a positive outcome when a dog is recued by people who care, she said. Noah is up for adoption.

Neutered last week, Noah will be put on heartworm medication soon. Heartworm treatments can be lengthy and hard on dogs according to O’Cain, but she said he will be fine.
“I don’t think he would be here today,” O’Cain said. “I don’t know if he would have made it through all that happened.”
A new tethering ordinance went into effect Jan. 2 for the city of Hendersonville. The ordinance states that dogs cannot be tethered for more than 4 hours a day and only 2 hours for every twelve hours.
O’Cain said this is a huge improvement for dogs within the city limits.