Name: Aniko Illes and Mumu
Relationship: Foster Mom and Dog
Courtesy: Aniko Illes
Her Campus (HC): Have you always been involved with animals and animal shelters?
Aniko Illes (AI): Yes, my family and I have always been suckers for rescuing animals. Some of our best dogs have been from shelters. I am definitely pro “adopt don’t shop.”
HC: How did you get involved with the humane society?
AI: I have always considered getting a dog, and during my freshman year, the idea became more and more appealing. I love to travel so that’s one of the reasons that was holding me back. Since I was not sure about fully committing to owning a dog, I figured fostering would be a good option. Once I decided that I wanted to foster starting my sophomore year, I contacted the humane society here in Tallahassee and they told me once the fall semester started, they would have a few dogs ready for me to choose from to begin fostering.
Courtesy: Aniko Illes
HC: How did you and Mumu end up together?
AI: When I began the process of fostering, they had a couple of different dogs lined up for me. One of them had behavioral issues, one was supposed to be a really big dog and none of them really worked out. So they mentioned that they had this one 3-month-old puppy named Mumu who had a hoofed paw. So I said sure, I’ll take whatever, not really knowing what to expect. They told me from the beginning that she wasn’t up for adoption because of her hoofed paw and how they wanted to see how her paw and leg worked as she got older and decide whether or not her leg needed to be amputated. The manager of the Humane Society did however want Mumu to have her leg amputated, because it would be better now that she is a puppy rather than later where it could be harder for to adjust to only having three legs. Her deformed paw was already hindering her walking and playing so it was already as if she had three legs.
HC: What was her surgery like for you?
AI: After they decided that the surgery was necessary at the time of me fostering her, they told me everything that was going to happen and what recovery was going to be like. The surgery was very intense. They took her into surgery around 1:30 p.m. and I got the call afterwards that she had done great and that she was just experiencing pain from it. Once I got there to pick her up and spoke to the doctor he told me that the pain was very severe and that she was going to be very vocal about it. My parents had come up to help me because they knew how freaked out I was to go through this with her on my own. I also wanted her to know that she was going to a home where we were going to take care of her and love her through this process. I brought her home after surgery and that night was probably one of the hardest nights of my life. We stayed up all night because the pain was so intense she couldn’t do anything to find comfort. The next day, though, was like a complete miracle. She was still down and in pain but she started walking; if you saw her you would not think she had surgery the day before. Within a couple of days she was ready to start playing. After a month or so I was taking her to the dog park, which is her favorite thing to do. She loves being active and playing with other dogs.
Courtesy: Aniko Illes
HC: How has the experience changed you?
AI: I’ve definitely had to grow up, a lot. There is so much responsibility, its like taking care of a kid. I’ve had to give up a lot as well, but I wouldn’t change any of it. It’s made me more responsible, like I can’t be out for more than a couple of hours because I have to go home to walk her or feed her. This experience has also helped me become more responsible with school; I always have time to get my homework done.
HC: What do your parents and friends think?
AI: My parents were so supportive because we have always rescued animals. My friends adore Mumu, so I have a lot of people I can rely on when it comes to taking care of her or if I just need a morning or period of time to just get away I have plenty of people that are willing to help me out.
HC: She’s become so popular and loved, what are some events she’s been involved in?
AI: I just made her an instagram, @fsmumu, a lot of people responded to that because every time I would take her out people just fell in love with her. The Humane Society hosts a fundraiser walk-a-thon and they wanted her to be the poster child of it because of everything that she’s been through and what a happy dog she is. They wanted her story to also be very child-oriented so they had me bring her to a couple of elementary schools. It was actually really cute because at the walk-a-thon, a little girl came up to us and recognized Mumu from her classroom. She’s also been to events with the FSU Women’s Basketball Team and the Humane Society. She loves the attention and she’s so good with people, I guess it’s the fact that she only has three legs that gives her a lot of character.