July 2025 -Josefee update
Josef’s Story (Source: Cayce Wendeborn, Adopter) – 2024 post-Erath County – Cayce Wendeborn is not your average 71-year-old woman. She and her husband Kurt started Wendeborn Construction, a commercial construction company, 45 years ago and today, Wendeborn is still at it, driving to job sites to oversee subcontractors and pitch in on demolition, carpentry, tile-laying — you name it.
“Can’t find anyone to run a jackhammer? I’ll do it,” she said.
But she has a heart condition and there are times when her heart monitor pings the app on her phone to warn her that it’s time to slow down. To sit. To chill out. It can also get a little lonely. Kurt passed away in December 2020, just a month after their beloved Pomeranian mix, Roscoe, died. Their other dog, Sam, a Terrier-Dachshund mix and Wendeborn’s certified medical support animal, passed away in 2023 at the age of 23.
“That meant all my family was gone, and I just couldn’t handle that. I needed to get another dog,” she said.
In March 2024, Wendeborn got in touch with the Humane Society of Wichita County to whom she donates on a regular basis. It turned out that they had just taken in a small, fluffy white dog whose coat was dappled in beautiful gray splotches. He’d been rescued along with 100 other animals from a hoarding situation on a property strewn with the skeletal remains of other animals in various stages of decomposition.
The site was “among the worst I’d ever seen,” said Monica Ailey, President/Co-Founder of Animal Investigation and Response (AIR), who works with local law enforcement to remove the animals.
They discovered the fluffy white dog, later named “Josef”, sharing an outdoor kennel with two other small dogs. He was under weight and filthy, his ears were caked with dirt and his coat was matted with numerous clumps of feces. He was also quite shy. “This guy was the most timid of the group,” said AIR volunteer responder Kelly Paul.
Wendeborn began to spend time with Josef alone in a quiet room at the Humane Society of Wichita County. While she found him to be extremely shy, her presence and private quarters helped lower his anxiety. “I sat on the floor, and he finally came over to me. He started enjoying some pets, but was still really apprehensive,” she said.
She decided to bring him home and name him “Josefee” — Josef for short. In the beginning, he was scared of his leash, of elevators and of taking treats – even seemed spooked by concrete floors! But in a short time, his personality started to come out. Now he dances on his hind legs and loves to run as fast as he can, looking back over his shoulder hoping for a chase. “He really is an amazing dog. He’s smart as a whip, and he’s funny,” said Wendeborn. She did a DNA test and found that he was 100% Merle Pomeranian.
He’s also become a medically certified support dog. If Wendeborn’s heart starts beating too quickly or her blood pressure starts climbing, Josef, who is usually resting nearby, gets agitated and paces or dances around her. His warning for her to sit and chill out usually comes faster than the phone’s alert from her heart monitor’s app, she said.
In his eyes, the best thing, if he could tell you, is that he’s never hungry. Wendeborn makes all of his meals from scratch, using fresh ingredients. Plus, he travels with Wendeborn to job sites and has a bed in all four of her homes.
“All my friends are jealous of us both,” said Wendeborn.
Because of your support, we can continue this lifesaving work. Animals like Josef have found their loving homes and got a new beginning thanks to supporters like you.
We are so honored to continue Defending Animal Dignity.
