Saachi moved to Connecticut on Dec 12, 2010 – Adopted by Sheyda Ardalan
Saachi is a white German Shepherd mix dog. She must have been very cute as a puppy and taken in by a family. By the time she was nine months old and still growing, they didn’t want her anymore and abandoned her in the streets of Tehran.
Saachi was seen roaming the neighborhood of Shahrakeh Gharb in early September 2010 for two weeks.
The children played with her for 2 – 3 days and then the parents complained and called the authorities. When the authorities arrived to shoot Saachi, a kind lady by the name of Mrs. Sahrai and her relatives pleaded them not to kill her. The authorities were actually hesitant to do so, as Saachi is a very friendly dog, but the parents insisted saying: “We called you people to come over and shoot her, and now you are having second thoughts.” So the authorities had no choice but to shoot her.
One gunshot dispersed multiple pellets with the aim of one pellet hitting one major organ and killing the dog. In Saachi’s case, none of the pellets hit any major organs. In agonizing pain, Saachi ran away, bleeding from her gunshot wounds. The parents and authorities left, believing she would soon die.
The next morning, Mrs. Sahrai and her sister-in-law found Saachi in the street, passed out and half dead on the ground, and took her to the veterinarian. The veterinarians removed as many pellets as possible, treated Saachi, and sent her home with Mrs. Sahrai who, for the next two weeks, took care of her. She said: “Saachi was an obedient dog and knew commands. When I told her to lie down, she would and when I told her to stay, she would. She must have been someone’s dog and either got away or was abandoned.” Saachi was not afraid of people, was very friendly albeit all that she has experienced at the hands of people, and liked to sleep on the sofa!
Within two weeks, Saachi started feeling better and became active. Unfortunately, Mrs. Sahrai couldn’t keep her in her house any longer and contacted VAFA. VAFA volunteers picked Saachi up, her story was posted on Facebook, and Sheyda Ardalan in Connecticut, USA asked to adopt her.
Saachi made the trip to Tehran’s airport twice before she finally flew to the USA with one of Sheyda’s friends who was returning to Connecticut from visiting her sister in Tehran. Saachi arrived in New York’s JFK Airport on December 12, 2010. She and Max, Sheyda’s first adopted VAFA dog, hit it off right away. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine Max without Saachi. Saachi is a wonderful dog who loves to lick your hands and face. When Sheyda picked up Saachi’s kennel at the airport, Saachi started to lick Sheyda’s fingers through the openings.
Saachi has learned English and is bilingual. She has visited the Quarry Ridge Animal Hospital in Ridgefield, CT where Dr. Cobelli donates her services to Max and Saachi, the VAFA dogs. Saachi was in very good health and has amazing white teeth. She loves to chew on things, which can sometimes get her in trouble. To avoid doing so, she is given rawhide bones which she loves. Max and Saachi love to play outdoors. They chase each other, dig in the snow, and lick the ice. Saachi is an incredibly adaptable dog. She is ever wagging her tail and loves to antagonize the two cats; one who ignores her and the other one who takes swings at her.
Saachi’s name was given by Mrs. Sahrai and is derived from saachemeh (gun pellets in Persian). Sheyda decided to keep the name Saachi since Jazz great Loui Armstrong was nicknamed Satchmo (for satchel-mouth). Saachi is also called Saachi-Maachi (maach means kiss in Persian), a very appropriate name given her tendency to kiss all the time.
