At five months old, Tao was probably too old to sell to pet buyers, so he ended up at Horst Stables for the 10 March dog auction.

     Tao is a very nice boy with a lot of problems. Brought in from out of state without the required health certificates, he was sold with an ear infection, and he had an injured front leg -- one observer at the auction witnessed him being jerked from his crate by that leg.

     On top of that, Tao is suffering from Bilateral Entropian which, as you may recall, means that his eyelids turn inward toward the eyes, so that the lashes scratch the corneas when the dog opens and closes his eyes. (For more information on this condition, please see the Animal Eye Care website. )

     For "quality breeding stock," entropian is a no-no -- it's genetic! Tao will be a "quality pet" after the eyelids are repaired, at an estimated $275 - $350 per eye. Some bargain!  

     By the way, Tao's feces showed more than 50% hay the first three days after purchase. How hungry this poor boy must have been!