Barkley, the dog left orphaned when Elgin volunteer/activist Danise Habun died Aug. 16, has found a new home.
“My dog needed company. And Barkley is an old dog, like me,” said retiree Fred Madrid, who lives on Elgin’s east side.
Barkley, 11, moved into his new digs Saturday with the help of Madrid’s daughter, Lisa Marie, who knew Habun through their mutual activism work.
Lisa Marie said she saw a video of Barkley posted on social media by Habun’s niece. Habun’s family was trying to find a home for the 97-pound dog in the wake of Hubun’s death.
“I asked my dad, and if I could arrange it, he said he would have Barkley live at his house,” Lisa Marie said.
Barkley was being housed at Golf Rose Animal Hospital in Schaumburg, which is where Elgin police take strays and unclaimed pets.
“I wound up talking to Jen there Friday. She was wonderful and arranged for me to pick up Barkley Saturday,” Lisa Marie said.
“I put up a photo on Facebook of Barkley in the back seat and put AC/DC’s ‘Jailbreak’ (song) with it,” she said.
There have been a few rough moments as the Barkley adjusts to his new surroundings and living with another person and another dog, Carlos, a 6-year-old Siberian Husky.
“Barkley’s a little aggressive. Carlos is a lover,” Fred Madrid said.
That aggression seems to be mostly indoors and around food and eating, he said. Still, the dogs are enjoying playing together in Fred’s big backyard.
“They wanted to go out at 1:30 Sunday morning, and stayed out there together until 3,” Fred said.
Lisa Marie said others are pitching in to help Barkley get settled. One of Habun’s nieces in Wisconsin is sending a new dog bed she ordered online. Habun’s friend Carroll Ann Bailey paid Barkley’s boarding fees at Golf Rose.
“(Madrid has) a nice big yard and a safe home for Barkley,” Bailey said.
Elgin Public Museum Director Sharry Blazier was among those who had been trying to find a new place for the dog. She put on the museum’s front door in advance of its Dog Day event Saturday and posted a photo of that sign to her Facebook page as well as the museum’s.
More Top Picks Best Solar Attic Fans For Off Grid Homes
“Just as one of our presenters was finishing up Saturday, my phone dinged with a text message from Lisa, including a photo of Barkley in her car and another of Barkley meeting his new brother,” Blazier said.
“I started crying and babbling to the audience that if they’d seen the sign on the door, Barkley had just been rescued. I knew how much Danise loved that crazy dog. It was such a relief, and I know she’d be so happy.”
Sunday, Blazier gave Lisa Marie a goodie bag for Barkley.
“Barkley not only lost his beloved mom, he lost all his worldly doggie possessions when he was taken from Danise’s home,” Blazier said.
As for what’s next for Barkley, Lisa Marie said, “We’re going to give him a bath and a good brushing.”
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.