Mercy was found on the side of the road, in and unbelievable state.  There were so many broken bones, that she couldn’t stand up.  In this condition, most people would probably want to give up.  But not Mercy.  Not the eternal optimist.

She couldn’t stand, and was in what was probably an astounding amount of pain, but as soon as she realized that the people approaching her were there to help and not hurt, she just couldn’t contain her joy.  She just HAD to try to stand up and greet her rescuers, tail going half-a-mile-a-minute.

Once she was saved, and brought to have some medical attention, everyone around her was just amazed by her disposition.  Here’s a dog that has clearly seen some of the worst the world has to offer, and regardless her spirit was not remotely broken.  Her recovery began soon after, and now she’s walking again.

Soon, Mercy will be ready for a new home.  She’s still working on her recovery, but to everyone’s amazement, she’s expected to make a full recovery.  Could you imagine being the lucky family that gets to welcome her in?!  We’re already jealous!

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She was rescued by Muttville Senior Rescue in San Francisco.  When she was found, her teeth were in such bad shape, they had to all be removed.  This may have left her without teeth, but it also gave her a deep understanding of what it means to suffer with this type of problem.  Perhaps this is what makes her absolutely perfect for her current job.

Karma was adopted by Debra Garrett.  She was looking for a companion dog for her elderly mom, and from the moment Garrett met Karma, she thought that it would be a perfect fit.

“My mom is 82 with Alzheimer’s and really wanted a dog,” said Garrett to The Dodo.  “We did not want her to have a dog that was likely to outlive her or that would require a lot of training and energy. Muttville provided us with the perfect solution for my aging parent, an older dog that was tried and true.”

However, things just weren’t meant to be.  It became very clear very quickly that Garrett’s mother just wasn’t ready to take care of Karma.  Garrett and her husband didn’t want to take Karma back to a shelter or rescue, and ended up taking Karma in themselves.

“Karma is the sweetest, quietest, most loving little dog we ever could have asked for,” said Garrett.  “She loves people and just wants to be held or cuddled by someone.”

Garrett and her husband both work at a dental practice.  The job often requires them to work long hours, which when they didn’t have a dog was fine.  However, they didn’t feel right just leaving Karma at home alone for all of that time.  So, they eventually decided to bring her to work with them.

Karma being the sweet dog that she is, and having such a strong desire to just be with someone, it didn’t take very long for the Garrett’s to realize that this was where Karma belonged all along.  She seemed to have an innate ability to calm patients that were very anxious to be in the dental chair in a way that no human had ever been able to before.

“It’s magical to watch a true dental-phobic patient melt while holding Karma in one of our chairs,” said Garrett.  “Even patients who didn’t think it would help much found that their appointment went much better with Karma on their lap.”

Maybe it’s because she’s been through it all herself and knows just how scary the dentist can be.  Maybe she’s just so full of love and thankful every day for being rescued.  At the end of the day, the reasons don’t really matter, Karma is PERFECTLY suited to do what she does, and she enjoys it so much.  Apparently, having a mouth full of really healthy teeth are NOT a requirement for being a dental therapy dog.

“She fills me with a sense of contentment whether I am holding her myself or watching her with one of my patients or seeing her in her little bed,” said Garrett.  “The office is a much better environment with Karma working beside us!”

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A few years later, while Alex and his mother were driving, they happened upon an injured pit bull running in the middle of the street. Naturally, Alex had to help

“I was pulling off the side of the road when I hear Alex’s car door open,” his mother, Valinda Cortez of Canton, North Carolina, told The Dodo.  “Before I could stop him, he was out in the middle of the road with this dog.”

Completely disregarding his own personal safety, Alex grabbed up the injured pup and got the dog into the car.

“He picked up this bloody baby and brought him to the car,” she said.  “We got him all healed up and now he lives a wonderful spoiled life.”

Now, Alex is 16.  Recently, he became a part of a vastly different kind of rescue than what he was used to.  It was the kind of rescue that be highly emotional, and can push people to their breaking point.

“He’s helped before in animal shelters and homeless shelters but this time was different,” said Valinda.

Alex had a day off from school, so he decided to go do some work with his mother that day.  She’s a volunteer with many other people that are parts of various animal rescue organizations.  They’ve all come together, and are working at a warehouse that’s been turned into a makeshift shelter for animals that were a part of a terrible hoarding case.

There were more than 140 animals taken from the property in question.  They were in various states of poor health, almost all of them had never known life outside of a cage, and many of them were small Chihuahuas and dachshunds.

“Most of them had only had little or no human contact,” said Valinda.  “They were so scared. They would tremble and cower if we tried to pet them.”

That’s where Alex first met Trouble.  Trouble was a bundle of fear at first, but for whatever reason, Alex was drawn straight to him cage.  He did spend a bit of time walking around and talking to the other dogs, but as his mother explains it, Trouble was, “The One.”

“He held him, played with him and, probably for the first time in this dog’s life, he felt loved,” said Valinda.  “He fell asleep while Alex was holding him.”

His mother’s heart was overflowing with joy.  Her 16-year-old son is just a big softy when it comes to the animals, but what’s even more, he seemed to know that this particular dog was really in need of some love and attention.

“My wonderful 16-year-old son has a giant soft spot in his heart for the animals that are ‘less desirable,’” she said.  “He has asked me several times this evening about Trouble.  After he gets home from school tomorrow, we’re going back to the temporary warehouse where the remainder of the dogs are.  I hope Trouble got adopted, but if not, I’m sure we will be bringing him home, if only as a foster.”

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“My last dog Petey had dementia,” O’Connor said when talking with The Dodo.  “He required a lot of care.  It was really heartbreaking and sad, but it sort of became my daily routine.”

Petey passed away in 2014, which left a big hole in O’Connor’s life.  She knew that she would need to bring another don into her life.  One that she could help the same way she was there for Petey.  When O’Connor was contacted by someone from the American Maltese Association Rescue (AMAR) called her and asked if she’d like to foster a dog with kidney issues, she jumped at the opportunity.

“I hadn’t even seen her yet,” said O’Connor.  “[The dog] needed to have surgery in a specialized hospital, which was only about 20 minutes from my house.  The intention was to get her medically taken care of, then adopt her out.  But I think I always knew I was going to keep her.”

When the time came for O’Connor and the dog called Pez to finally meet, there was something that O’Connor noticed straight away.  Something was VERY different about Pez.  She has this row of teeth and an odd looking snout that basically makes her look like she is smiling all of the time.  O’Connor was in love.

“It’s sort of like a cleft palate, but the palate is actually closed,” said O’Connor.  “Literally every time I look at her, my heart explodes.”

Pez may look like she’s smiling all the time, but her start in life was most certainly nothing at all to smirk about.  O’Connor may not know 100% of Pez’s history, but what is clear is that Pez was abandoned at a shelter by someone because this person just didn’t want to pay medical bills for a dog.  She spent some time in a New York City shelter, but was later rescued by AMAR.

According to the doctors, Pez’s condition is almost purely cosmetic.  She’s not in any pain because of it, and there aren’t really any surgeries to do anything for her.  It wasn’t her face that the medical bills were going to get extreme from, but her kidney problems were really bad.  She has to be kept in diapers of some sort almost always.

“It’s just like a quirk,” she said.  “I don’t know what else to say besides that she’s charming. I know that’s a weird way to describe a dog, but she has a lot of spunk.  She’s constantly glued to you the whole time, and wants to be having a good time.”

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https://www.facebook.com/thedodosite/videos/854024888065521/

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When Anna was rescued by animal control officers in Union County, South Carolina, she was completely emaciated and tethered to a tree with a neck tie.  She was only 28 pounds, heartworm positive, and had been abandoned after she was used up from having many litters.

Heidi Schermerhorn-Wagner found her at the shelter and fell in love

She spent the next five years getting Anna healthy and helping her overcome the traumas of her past.  The bond between them grew so strong, it even inspired Heidi to found the rescue group Boxer Butts & Other Mutts.

“Because of her, over 3,000 dogs’ lives have been changed,” Heidi explained.

Sadly, Anna was diagnosed with bone cancer in her right front leg, which then spread to her lungs.  She was given three to six months to live.

But they couldn’t know how much perseverance she had.  Her diagnosis was a year and a half ago, and Anna is still hanging on.  Heidi says she still welcomes every foster dog who enters their home.

“Most of them are on death’s door and she will not leave their side.  Even on her bad days she continues to try to take care of others.”

Recently, she was feeling pretty bad, and lie on the front porch, feeling lethargic.  Izzy walked over to her and gingerly licked her face for over half an hour.

“Anna had also helped take care of Izzy when she suddenly got really sick a couple of years ago,” Heidi said.  “It seemed Izzy remembered and did her best to comfort Anna.”

No matter how much time Anna has left on this planet, she can rest comfortably knowing she is surrounded by love.

The post Cat Won’t Stop Giving Kisses to Terminally Ill Dog Sister appeared first on ILoveDogsAndPuppies.

You may have heard the phrase, “an elephant never forgets,” and science is starting to prove that is a true statement.  Anyone that’s ever been separated from their furry loved ones for any length of time knows that phrase holds true for dogs, too.  Some of them seem to be almost beside themselves with happiness that they are finally home with the family.  The whine and cry, and act like giant babies.  And that is exactly why we love them so much.

A dog loves unconditionally.  You should do the same for your dog.  It’s what they deserve.

The post Lost Friends That Have Finally Found Their Way Home appeared first on ILoveDogsAndPuppies.

This pup went blind at six months old.  Perhaps he has such a vibrant life because he was able to adapt to his disability from such a young age.  He’s an absolute natural in the water, and he charms everyone he meets.

See how well this cutie pie gets along without vision

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Just last weekend, Joey was abandoned on the streets with nothing more than a blanket and a plastic bowl with water. The loyal pet stayed on the very same spot he last saw his owner as if to say he is staying there waiting for whoever left him to return.

Community members knew no one was coming back to get him and that’s when they came together to save this pet. Rescuers told The Dodo that a neighbor dropped off a box Joey could use as shelter. As the weather turned rainy and cold another person draped a tarp over the box for additional protection. Others dropped off blankets and food and worked towards gaining his trust, but as expected he trusted no one and every time someone tried to approach him he would run away.

What was needed was a trained professional to rescue him but no trained professional contacted by the caring residents had answered the calls or agreed to help.

“None of us are professionals,” Julian Rovito says. “We need people to help us with potential fosters. We’re willing to help with vet bills and stuff like that. We’re all dog lovers.”

Just yesterday after four days on the streets Joey was rescued. He was safely captured and with the use of a crate he was transported to a veterinarian. Best of all, Animal Recover Mission stepped up to sponsor the dog’s medical costs.

“Joey is at the vet,” said Rovito. “He pretty much passed out when he got to the run. The doctors didn’t want to probe him too much so they gave him antibiotics, flea/tick meds. He is getting a ton of attention and even gave a female handler a tail wag today!”

The once abused and unwanted dog will no longer go hungry or cold. From now on all he will now is love and this is all thanks to the animal loving community who helped rescue him.

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Originally published by Rhona Melsky | The Dodo

I walked through the first door to the dog kennels and immediately got tunnel vision. My focus became very narrow. The long, dank, gray corridor seemed to get longer. The barking dogs got louder.

The cages on either side of my eyes were closing in on me. It was as if I were in some sort of “Alice in Wonderland” movie come to life. I kept walking but felt I was not moving. The corridor kept extending with kennel after kennel containing more and more dogs. Their incessant barking became unbearable. They were crying out. “Pick me! Pick me!” I was in hell. I was at the county pound. And this was just the first door.

It was Oct. 6, 2010, and my first trip to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control‘s (MCACC) east side location in Mesa, Arizona, to choose dogs. I had been working for a local no-kill rescue for a week. Although I had been doing volunteer animal rescue work for years, I never before had to choose dogs.

MCACC has three locations: East, West and the Cat Shelter. Each year, in Maricopa County alone, 94,000 animals enter the shelter system, making it the second-largest in the nation, only after Los Angeles County.

The volunteer who came with me had been pulling dogs for our rescue for years. She led the way and talked procedure. We were there to choose 10 dogs to bring back to our no-kill shelter.

I walked past some kennels and then I saw her. The little black Lab in kennel 204. I stopped dead in my tracks, fixated on her.

She had an underbite and appeared to have a broken or dislocated jaw, making her appear deformed. All the other dogs continued to bark, but she stared at me with sad, pleading eyes. At the same time she also wagged her tail and seemed so happy for some human contact. It seemed she might be in pain; the deformity looked painful in itself. When I bent down, I saw her eyes were gunky, and the only sounds I heard were her labored breathing and snorting, possibly due to her injury — an injury that would most likely deem her unadoptable.

I was right.

“Not that dog,” the volunteer firmly said to me as she grabbed my arm and pulled me up and away.

“Why not?” I asked.

“We can’t take her. Nope. Not a chance. Let’s go.”

A promise made, a promise kept

As the volunteer dragged me down the corridor and through to the next door, we chose the small, cute, “adoptable” dogs. I could barely concentrate and couldn’t get the black dog out of my mind. I knew I was her last hope, and I was going to get her out if it was the last thing I did. I secretly named her Hope.

Before we left the shelter, I ran back to Hope’s kennel. It was as if she were waiting for me. She stared longingly. I did not have my cell phone with me, so I memorized her kennel number: 204. “I’ll be back,” I said. “I promise I won’t let you die.”

When we arrived back at the no-kill rescue, I ran to my desk and immediately began reaching out by email to my rescue network. I had to get someone to check on Hope, find out her status and help get her out.

My friend Kathy Jehoshaphat, an independent rescuer who often volunteered at MCACC, offered to check. She found Hope and brought her out to play in the shelter’s play yard where she found a tennis ball. “She was so sweet,” Kathy said. She found out Hope was on the E list (euthanasia list) for the next morning since the dog’s notes said she charged her kennel and was human aggressive.

Kathy knew that was false as Hope wagged her tail “and licks you to death if you stick your hand in the kennel.” She wanted to ensure that Hope’s medical issues were not an excuse for the dog to die. “I took her to the foster coordinator and kennel manager to prove she was not aggressive, and they pulled her off the list for 24 hours to give me time to network her,” she said.

Kathy brought Hope back to her kennel with ball in tow. “When I went back at the end of the night to check on her she was sleeping with the ball in her mouth,” she said.

Networking on Hope took off. We had 24 hours. Emails and Facebook posts with her photos were everywhere. We knew that Hope needed a veterinarian to check on her jaw and that she needed a foster home ready to take her in. A rescue partner, Circle L Ranch Animal Rescue & Sanctuary/Feathers Foundation, stepped up to pull her off the E list. Hope was then transported to Dr. Eva DeCozio, medical director of VCA Apache Junction Animal Hospital, who offered a free initial checkup.

A Beautiful Dog

DeCozio determined the dog did not need to be euthanized. Hope had a healed fracture of her maxilla, or upper jaw, that occurred more than six weeks prior to her rescue in addition to a severe upper respiratory infection.

“I have seen dogs disfigured like that,” she said. “She is a little crooked, so big deal. I wouldn’t re-break her bones,” adding that Hope was able to eat, seemed to be fairly pain-free and was very happy. “She was just precious.” She recommended that Hope have some teeth extracted as they were interfering with her bite. That surgery was eventually done by her adopter’s vet.

“Sadly, look at our whole society,” DeCozio said. “It’s not just the animals treated that way. If you’re not perfect or meet certain standards then you are not worthy. Thankfully there are people who can look beyond that and see the beauty. Anybody who has adopted a disfigured, deformed, abused or special needs dog who doesn’t meet the normal standards will tell you how special these dogs are and how they are moved by these animals.”

Off to the Rescue!

My rescue network put out a plea for a foster home. A woman on Facebook saw Hope’s picture and sent it to her sister, Michelle Brown, who had lost both her Labs over the past year, one of whom died the previous month.

“I’m not ready for a dog,” Brown told her sister. Her sister persuaded her to look at Hope’s picture. “The minute I saw her I said, ‘Yes. I need to foster that dog,’” Brown said. “My only intention was to foster her, but as soon as I saw the picture I knew I would keep her. It was the sad little face.”

Brown picked up Hope on Oct. 10, 2010. She planned to keep her name but Hope fast became Lucy. “I didn’t name her Lucy. The vet tech named her Lucy because Lucy ate the chart, got into trouble. The vet tech kept saying, ‘Lucy what did you do now?’”

Out of curiosity, Brown did some digging through Lucy’s information at the pound and found out the dog had been picked up by police as a stray. All things point to her having had a family at some point because Lucy was potty-trained and knew commands when Michelle took her home. Michelle’s vet believed Lucy’s injury most likely was caused by a bigger dog when Lucy was a puppy. Her jaw could have been fixed if treated immediately.

Was she dumped because of her deformity? We’ll never know.

Brown works from home full time and gets to stay with Lucy all day. She is a marathon runner and has found a great partner in Lucy who has a lot of energy and loves to run and swim. Lucy even ran a half marathon and has a medal to prove it. She is five-and-a-half and still loves to have a ball in her mouth along with any of her other stuffed animals.

Sometimes people mistake Lucy for a vicious dog because her teeth are visible, but Brown makes sure to explain her story, which puts people at ease and hopefully makes them think twice before reacting negatively.

“It horrifies me,” Michelle said, referring to Lucy having been passed over due to her facial deformity. “To know that she was that close to dying is horrifying. She is my whole world.”

It is difficult to truly tell a dog (or cat’s) personality when they are housed in a kennel at the pound. They are scared, stressed, in unfamiliar surroundings and with other unfamiliar animals, so their actions may be very different than if they were in a home. It’s one reason so many animals get overlooked or euthanized.

“Every dog should get a second chance, a second look,” Brown said. “There’s a dog out there for everyone. I wish people would stop buying them; it would solve a lot of problems.”

The county shelter in any city can be overwhelming, and it is easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed.

“There are countless animals like Lucy at the shelters who are overlooked because they are not perfect, so please give them a chance,” DeCozio said. “Because you will be rewarded a thousand-fold with love.”

It truly took a village to save Lucy. There are too many to mention individually here, but there were countless people and entities involved, including county employees, animal rescues, individual rescuers, veterinarians, vet techs and Brown, Lucy’s adopter. Not thanking them would be criminal. A huge thanks to all those heroes.

After five years, I was reunited with Lucy (formerly Hope) whom I had not seen since that day when I spotted her at the pound. Over the years, Brown reached out to me by email to send photos and keep me updated, but we never found the right time to meet until this month.

I am happy to report that Brown is a wonderful, caring woman. Lucy is happy as every dog should be. And I could not have asked for a better home for her. Seeing Lucy after all that time made it all complete. I saw her and knew that everything was right with the world, at least for that day. And, yes, we all cried.

Nationwide, there are approximately 7.6 million companion animals entering shelters every year, with roughly 2.7 million euthanized — every year.

You can help by adopting a dog or cat or by volunteering at your local shelter. Visit the Humane Society of the United States for resources to help.

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