I guess you could call it love at first sight, at least on our part. We wanted to add a dog to our family after recently adopting a rescue kitty. Morty was captured as a stray on March 24, 2016, without any identification or indication of ownership. He was taken to Foothills Animal Shelter in Golden, CO and placed in a holding area. It was determined that he was about three years old, a Westie/Lhasa mix and was not neutered. That is all we knew about him but he was patiently waiting in his cage while other dogs around him were barking and trying to get attention. By March 31 we were told that someone had placed a hold on him. My husband wanted that little dog so we asked to also be added to the hold list. April 1st the shelter called to tell us the potential adopter had changed his mind and could not take Morty after all. We rushed over to Foothills and had a meet and greet–the bond was immediate. In the interim, two more people inquired about adopting this handsome fellow, but he was ours! We also did a “cat test” at the shelter to see how Morty would react to our own kitty. He didn’t pay any attention to the cat. It was a much different story when we got him home and he and Jessie faced off. We are still working on that little arrangement!
Morty was a dirty little doggie and had just been neutered the day before we brought him home. He was hurting and uncomfortable but never grumpy. Then we noticed the huge lump on his right flank. He was at our vet the next day where he got an e-collar to prevent licking his surgery sight, which was looking pretty nasty. They also gave him antibiotics and a mild tranquilizer to ease his discomfort. The vet did a needle aspiration on the mass and said she didn’t see cancer cells but the cyst contained bacteria and should be removed. Cost estimates of $658 to $1000 on top of hefty adoption fees, licensing, outfitting, food, toys were a little overwhelming but we wanted to do the right thing for the newest member of our family. Adopting rescue pets is not for the faint of heart, there is no history and your pet cannot tell you what they have been through. You have to feel something in your gut to help make this important decision.
Enter WestieMed on my Internet search. I submitted my application and a photo per requirements. I was amazed to hear from the organization only two days later. They needed another photo of Morty’s ears and tail to help determine the breed mix. Less than a week later we got word that our application was APPROVED and a grant would be made. We were so relieved.
Morty is a loving, entertaining, energetic and happy dog who has found a place in our hearts. His feline sister is still deciding! All of us are grateful to the WestieMed Board for their financial help. Now, on to that surgery.
Gratefully, The Duman Family Gill, Audrey, Jessie, and MORTY
Update May 9, 2016
From the Duman Family: “Morty had his surgery today and is doing well. It was possible due to your gift. With that big cyst off his flank, he will be more handsome than ever!”
Pickles unique story comes to us from a family with a long history of Westie rescues! Pckles is a dedicated service dog who sticks by his handler’s side to signal for help if needed due to her life-threatening heart condition.
Pickles was diagnosed with Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca, (KCS) also known as dry eye. This condition results when the tear ducts no longer produce tears resulting dry, itchy inflamed eyes (imagine a dry eye with sand in it) the inflammation causes a buildup of mucus that covers his eye, blocks his vision and if left to sit too long would create sores on his eyelids. Up until now, his owner had been able to manage it with meds & constant flushing of the eye, but the inflammation was beginning to starve his eyes of blood-flow and causing progressive blindness.
The request for help became urgent after Pickles walked into a branch that caused a cut near his right eye & in his panic to get away he nearly fell in a storm drain! “Watching him go through this breaks my heart,” said his handler who lacked the funds for the much-needed treatments Pickles needed. She noted that “he’s so full of life and losing his sight is crushing his soul, he’s getting more anxious and fearful of what he can’t see (including the two cat’s he lives with)”.
Pickles needed help and it was clear he could wait no longer so his handler set out to get him the care he needed. This is when they found a very promising treatment option using pickles stem cells. The treatment involves the removal of pickles own stem cells and re-implanting them into his eyes which has been shown to cause the faulty cells to regenerate and become functional again.
Currently, this procedure is being done at two universities (neither of which was near Pickles) and it has had very promising outcomes with eight out of twelve dogs having full remission and the remaining four having significant improvement. Luckily for Pickles, his handler was able to find a local vet willing to perform the procedure but it would be costly.
After trying to raise funds on her own, Pickles handler turned to WestieMed with this unique story.
As of now, he has undergone his first phase in the treatment and is responding well. After just two days, he’s showing signs of improved functioning in one eye.
Thanks to WestieMed for helping to fund his treatment.
It’s expected that Pickles will go on to live a long, happy and healthy life, working each day and positively touching the lives of everyone he meets.
Update November 17, 2016
Pickles eyes have had some improvement, (not as much as we had hoped for) but at least now, the medications that had stopped working for him are actually working again which is a godsend.
Otherwise, he’s doing well, he seems to be more comfortable overall.
Thanks again for your assistance in helping him. We GREATLY appreciate it.
Amber became a companion and close friend to me for the past two months. Amber is so affectionate, full of so much love.
One day while going about my ways on the street a complete stranger came up to me and said she is getting rid of the dog and asked if I wanted the dog. I asked why don’t you want the dog, what is wrong? She responded she can’t have her in the building where she lives. During this time a million thoughts came to my mind but the one thing resonated was how can I rescue this dog with sadness in her eyes, looking ungroomed. She looked like she wasn’t taking care of. I couldn’t walk away and leave her not knowing what this person would’ve done with her. The fear of not knowing if she would be abandoned on the streets would rest on my mind. So I took her knowing I am on a fixed income.
My sadness came two weeks later when I noticed Amber was hopping and holding her right back leg up. I took her to the veterinarian and found out she has Legg-Calve-Perthes disease that can only be corrected through surgery. If not done quickly inflammation can cause problems to her other leg. My heart was broken not being able to come up with the funds to help my little Amber.
I am thankful to WestieMed for reaching out acknowledging by giving animals a second chance to stay healthy and live a normal life.
Thank you kindly.
Sincerely, Millicent Spence
Update April 2, 2016
Amber – WestieMed Grant Recipient
I just wanted to give you an update on my little Amber. She had the surgery on March 31, 2016, and spent the night at the hospital but is back home and recovering fine. I can’t thank you WestieMed enough on how grateful Amber and I feel. Without you, it wouldn’t be possible. I am sending a picture of her back home. She has to stay off the leg for a while and the collar stays on for two weeks. But I am happy that she will soon be out of the pain and suffering. Thanks so much!!
Sincerely,
Millicent Spence
Update October 3, 2016
Amber – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Hi WestieMed family,
I am so pleased to tell you Amber is doing ok – better than before surgery! I was told by the doctor that I would see significant improvement within three-four months. Well, it’s been five months and every now & then I see her slightly limping on the bad leg! She runs around on it though! To my understanding I thought after the surgery she would’ve picked up much more moving on her foot without a limp, but I guess it’s taking her more time to heal completely! But she is doing ok.
I want to thank you so much for your help, it is greatly appreciated.
Millicent
Update May 18, 2017
Amber – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Amber is doing ok but not 100%. She still hops on off the right leg that she had surgery on more when she just had a shower are something to activities she will hop off that leg.
I don’t have the funds to her to another veterinarian facility to get checks up to see if the issue with her leg wasn’t addressed are what did the veterinarian surgeon did at the time to correct the issue she had, but it takes money to do so I am disabled and don’t have the funds to really do so.
Hoping something comes up to help so I can take her to get checked out but for now, she is running around and has happy as can be.
I so thank you for assisting in helping Amber with her surgery expenses
Eight-year-old Samson was walked into his vet’s office one day but not for a regular appointment. His owners asked the vet to have the sweet boy put down because they could not take care of him. One of Samson’s eyes was malformed from birth but that had never slowed him down. When he arrived at the vet clinic that day, he had horrible skin and hair loss, fleas, intestinal parasites, bad hips, and a severe heartworm infestation.
The vet asked Samson’s owners to release him to her care and promptly reached out to Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston (WSRH) for help. The vet treated Samson’s intestinal parasites and started addressing his condition with bloodwork and medications prior to sending him to WSRH. He was in a small town about four hours from our primary location so several volunteers offered to do a relay to transport him and one of our experienced fosters who has taken care of many dogs with heartworms took him into her home.
Samson was taken in to see our vets at Bear Branch Animal Hospital where he was examined by Dr. Kim Hilscher who confirmed he was heartworm positive and assessed the condition of his heart, lungs, and hips with x-rays. It was determined that his bad hips were due to fused vertebrae and the vet recommended pain management for the time. Due to his poor condition, we decided to work on Samson’s general health prior to starting a split treatment to kill the heartworms. After a month of good quality food, medicated baths, and a couple of rounds of doxycycline, Samson went in for his first injection of Immiticide, after which his activities were restricted while the medication did the work of killing heartworms. Vet appointments at two weeks and then four weeks later confirmed he was doing fine, so then Samson was given the full treatment of two Immiticide injections and another month of restrictions.
Things went well for Samson and he received clearance from the vet for successful heartworm treatment so his next job was to find a forever home. While waiting for the right person to take notice, Samson took ill quite suddenly and was rushed to the emergency vet for vomiting and passing blood. Samson was admitted to the hospital where he received fluids and medication to stabilize him and x-rays werer taken to help determine the cause of his distress. Samson spent the next three days on fluids at Bear Branch until he was back to his normal self and returned to his foster home. There was no definitive cause found for this issue but Samson has not had a recurrence.
The next step for Samson is to meet approved adopters who are interested in adding him to their family. We are very grateful to WestieMed for help in treating Samson and making it possible for him to get healthy and find a forever family of his own.
Thank you!
Maggie Escriva
Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston
Update June 28, 2017
Samson – WestieMed Grant Recipient
We are ever grateful to WestieMed for helping us help Samson get well and find his furever home.
Not long after recovering from the emergency room visit, Sam caught the eyes and hearts of a wonderful family of terrier people and it was mutual love at first sight when they met. Thankfully he had finished all his restrictions before meeting his new furry siblings, especially BFF Colleen, an adventuresome Scottie who joins Sam each day running, playing, and watching for birdies. All the running (and digging!) has helped strengthen Sam’s legs and improve his balance. Sam’s furever family loves him very much, stating the highlight of the day is each evening before bedtime when daddy gets on the floor to play and Sam talks to him.
Thank you, WestieMed, for helping us give Sam a well-deserved happily furever after!
Annie (aka Annabelle) was originally a breeding female in a Missouri puppy mill. It is unclear how many years Annie was breeding in the puppy mill before she was sold to an individual in Springfield, MO. Although it appeared Annie’s life would take a positive turn and she would soon be in a loving home with her new owner, Annie’s happy ending did not occur. Annie’s new owner simply chained Annie to a tree in their backyard. She did not have shelter in the backyard for protection from the elements nor did the family provide her with any love or attention. Annie remained outside chained to a tree where she sat in mud and dirt the entire day. She was filthy and flea-infested when she was saved by the Westie Rescue of Missouri, Inc. program in the fall of 2015. It is unclear how long Annie endured these horrible conditions.
Westie Rescue of Missouri’s mission is to prevent cruelty, abuse or neglect of Westies. They have amazing volunteers who want to see that all Westies have a warm, safe and healthy environment where they can develop to their full potential while we search for their new “forever” home. Westie Rescue provided Annie with veterinarian treatment where she was shaved and treated for fleas to relieve her infestation issues. She was also diagnosed with arthritis in her legs and hips at that time. Annie was then transported to her assigned foster parent, Ben M., where she was nursed back to health in preparation for adoption.
We were looking to adopt a rescued Westie, and we contacted the Westie Rescue of Missouri in the fall of 2015. Annie’s foster parent contacted us at that time to tell us that Annie was a five-year-old female, and she was almost ready for adoption. Ben advised Annie had difficulty jumping up on furniture or climbing stairs due to her arthritis; however, she was taking Rimadyl for pain twice a day, and she seemed to be improving. Ben also advised he just received a five-year-old male Westie in excellent health who was ready for adoption as well. He advised Watson was very energetic and active in comparison to Annie. I couldn’t resist rescuing two Westies at the same time! We were very happy to adopt both Annie and Watson!!
On November 15, 2015, we welcomed Annie and Watson into their “forever” home! When we took Annie to our local vet for a checkup, he advised Annie had significant arthritis and he suspected she was older than five and suggested she may be seven or eight years old. He recommended we continue to treat her arthritis with Rimadyl twice a day. Annie and Watson have become best buddies and they love chasing each other in the house and in the backyard. After chasing Watson in the backyard, I noticed Annie was not placing any weight on her right rear leg. This continued for a few days, so we took Annie to the vet. He has diagnosed her with a torn ACL. She will need to have her ACL repaired to allow the sweet girl to walk on her right rear leg.
We are very grateful to WestieMed for being available to help our sweet Annie and so many other Westies. Thank you so much! Kim and Don Knoche Bloomington, IL
Update March 8, 2016
Annie WestieMed Grant Recipient
Annie had her ACL surgery yesterday and everything went well! She’s at home now resting comfortably.
The vet advised all of Annie’s joints are full of arthritis and her left rear leg has a minor tear in her ACL as well, so, unfortunately, I’m sure more surgeries are in her future.
Thank you WestieMed for the financial assistance your organization has provided to help Annie!
Kim Knoche
Update October 25, 2016
Annie WestieMed Grant Recipient
Annie is doing great! Her surgery went very well.
She has a little stiffness in her joints in the morning, but once she gets moving, she’s fine! Annie can now go for a long walk now, and she just started jumping up on the couch to sit next to me a few weeks ago, so she’s almost back to being herself!!
I actually adopted two Westies at the same time. Watson is a male, and the vet thinks Watson is approximately three years old. The vet thinks Annie is approximately seven or eight years old…she definitely is an older Westie because this little girl has arthritis in all of her joints!
I’ve attached a photo of Annie walking with Watson!! As you can see, she is doing very well!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping our family with the expenses to pay for Annie’s ACL surgery! It was an unexpected cost we weren’t prepared for!
Zak was advertised for rehoming. I contacted his owner who told me the reason for her getting rid of Zak was the fact he had growled at her granddaughter. From the picture she sent, I could see he had skin problems. I could cope with that and get Zak’s skin sorted. I was told if Zak did not have a new home in a few days he would be put to sleep.
I arranged to rescue Zak so I drove to her place seventy miles away. I was very saddened to see Zak when I arrived. He was in such a mess. He wouldn’t leave my side. He never went back to his owner – he just wanted to be with me.
I took him home and during the course of that evening, Zak became lame and really struggled to walk. I got Zak to s vet the next morning for a health check-up. This is when I discovered how badly Zak had been neglected. His nails were so long they were curling. He had a problem with his testicle and his small body riddled with infection. His gums were so swollen he could barely eat and his teeth were black.
Zak started on antibiotics he was sick when he ate. Zak has now been neutered and had dental work done. Seven (7) teeth were removed as well as two large warts removed from his face. It has now been discovered that Zak may have hip dysplasia. He has an appointment on February 29th with the joint/bone specialist vet so his care will continue. He is now in a safe and loving home for the rest of his life.
Will
Update May 24, 2016
It is with a very heavy heart I have to inform you our beloved Zak whom you helped and we rescued, passed away suddenly in May. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the help you gave us to allow Zak to have the operations. We are missing him terribly.
On September 15th, I was contacted by a local veterinarian who had been caring for Rory, an eight to ten-year-old Westie for the last couple of years. Rory suffered from severe allergies, skin issues and extremely serious ear infections, which she had been doing her best to treat.
Unfortunately, Rory’s owners were a special needs couple who were incapable of following through with the home care and meds that Rory needed between vet visits. They did not understand that some of his skin problems were the result of allergies to grain and were feeding him a very low-quality dollar store dog food that was aggravating his problems. Since it was clear that his owners, despite how much they loved him, were incapable of providing the daily care needed to help Rory to recover and live pain-free, the vet recommended humane euthanasia because Rory was in so much agony and his parents agreed. Then she called me and asked if we could rescue and help Rory if his parents would agree to surrender him to us. After discussing it with Gloria, we agreed to take him, and I agreed to foster him since I had experience with both skin and ear issues.
When we got Rory, he was in pretty bad shape and in a great deal of pain. His ears were so badly infected that they were bleeding, very swollen and extremely painful; the prolonged infections have destroyed most of his hearing. His skin was infected and had oozing lesions, and he was significantly underweight. Several large, painful interdigital cysts on his paws made walking agonizing for him. His eyes were inflamed and infection had clouded his lenses. It took two months, lots of meds, lots of medicated baths, a diet change and lots of trips to the vet, but we finally got Rory’s ear infection and the accompanying swelling to a point where the vet could actually see inside the ear. He discovered a tumor that was complicating the infection and after consultation with the specialist, it was determined that surgery was required as soon as possible. The specialist recommended a Total Ear Canal Ablation.
Rory has made a lot of progress in the last two and a half months. His fur is coming back, his skin is getting pinker, the interdigital cysts have resolved and he is back up to a healthy weight. However, his ears are still problematic and painful. Rory is a sweet, lovable little guy who is learning how to cuddle and every day he makes progress. He deserves a life that is free of pain. Although he has challenges, he maintains a sweet and loving disposition in spite of the constant pain he endures.
The grant from WestieMed for his surgery will be a miracle for this sweet boy and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I can’t wait to write the follow up after he has begun to heal and we see his personality blossom as he begins to enjoy a life without pain.
Josie Smith New York Westie Rescue
Update December 16, 2015
Rory – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Rory is doing extremely well after the TECA (Total Ear Canal Ablation) which is such an invasive major surgery. There is no redness or draining at the surgical site, just a little swelling, which is less every day.
He is almost back to his normal “Happy Feet” self and I can see his energy levels increase every day. He really got through the surgery very, very well and is doing better than anyone, including the vet, expected.
He goes back to see Dr. Brown on the 23rd to have the sutures removed and we expect an excellent report. He is doing so well, in fact, that I’m going to try stopping the pain meds tomorrow and see how he does without them.
He’s eating well and wants to play. You can see him plotting his next round of shenanigans in this picture. He sure doesn’t act like a ten-year-old dog that just had major surgery. And he’s full of kisses. He even kisses his “sister” Queen Lola, (another WestieMed alumnus) every single morning.
Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts! This little guy is FINALLY, FINALLY pain-free after years of agony!
Where would we be without WestieMed?
Josie Smith New York Westie Rescue
Update December 24, 2016
Rory saw Dr. Brown last evening to have the sutures removed from his ear. That ear is well healed now, but we are still fighting on again off again infection in the other ear. Dr. Brown flushed and deep cleaned the other ear canal and we now have a new regime to try to keep the infections at bay. So more meds and flushes for poor Rory, but we must do what we must.
Unfortunately, the news on the biopsy was not what we wanted to hear. It came back as positive for Squamous Cell Carcinoma. The good news is that they believe that they got it all and that it did not penetrate the cartilage. That said, there is always the chance that it has already metastasized. For now, we are going to monitor his lymph nodes closely. Dr. Brown will be having a discussion with the oncologist as well.
Radiation is an option if needed, but it would be pretty tough on a dog as old as Rory is, and require that he be anesthetized for each of the eighteen treatments. He would also be required to spend an entire five days of each week of treatment at Cornell, and only come home on the weekends. It would be hard on him, and us as well. At this juncture, we don’t feel like that is something that he should be put through after all he has already endured. No decisions will be made until we have more information. At any rate, we are hoping that since the biopsy revealed that the tumor had not gone through the cartilage, that
There is also still a chance that he may require TECA on the other ear unless we are able to lick this infection for good. It’s just gone on for so long that Dr. Brown isn’t optimistic. I’m encouraged about facing that prospect if it comes to it though, because of how very well he came through this one. He did really, really well, and healed quickly.
That said, Rory is like a different dog he is much more comfortable, full of energy and curiosity and loving life.
Thank you so much for helping this sweet old boy! He is a sweetheart and deserves to finally to happy, safe, loved and comfortable. He will remain with us, in his forever hospice home and be spoiled rotten and watched over by Her Royal Highness, Queen Lola.
Snowflake is a senior Westie male who came into North Atlantic Westie Rescue’s program under tragic circumstances. One typical afternoon, Snowflake and his Havanese fur brother were waiting for their owner to come back from routine surgery. But instead, a stranger came and brought them to a shelter. Their owner had passed away and her family asked the shelter to take the dogs. Snowflake’s world changed, even more, when his fur brother died shortly thereafter due to diabetes complications.
The shelter staff knew Snowflake needed experienced help to ensure Snowflake would live the rest of his life in a loving home. So off went Rita and Tim, two of North Atlantic’s volunteers. Within a day or two, Rita noticed Snowflake was very lethargic, had diarrhea that just would not get better, and he vomited a few times. A trip to the vet revealed Snowflake’s abdomen was full of fluid, and his blood work showed elevated liver values. In order to better get a handle on Snowflake’s condition, North Atlantic authorized the vet to perform an ultrasound and aspirate some of the fluid from Snowflake’s belly. The ultrasound did not reveal anything conclusive about why there was so much fluid in Snowflake’s belly. With each passing day, more fluid-filled in his abdomen. The vet recommended endoscopy be performed urgently, as further fluid buildup could lead to pulmonary and heart problems.
With a generous grant from WestieMed, Snowflake had his surgery. The endoscopy revealed severe irritable bowel disease, but no cancer as we had feared. The doctor noted his intestine looked like “cobblestones!” We suspect that Snowflake has been suffering from IBS for a long time, so the vet prescribed a very specific set of medicines to begin healing Snowflake’s gut. Snowflake, now in his adoptive home in Vermont, is improving every day. With a consistent special diet and regular veterinary care. Snowflake’s prognosis is excellent!
North Atlantic Westie Rescue thanks the WestieMed board for enabling timely diagnosis of Snowflake’s condition. We also want to thank Rita and Tim for being vigilant and getting Snowflake the care he needed when he started to show signs something was wrong. He has begun his new life is his forever home with a solid treatment plan and a family with much love to give him for many years to come!
Rachel Scott Director North Atlantic Westie Rescue, Inc.
Update October 3, 2016
Thank you again for your help with Snowflake. Snowflake ended up having cancer and he passed away about four months after we worked with your team.
When Felix found himself in an SPCA shelter with a leg injury, things were not hopeful. Being a large, urban open-admission shelter, animals in the facility needed to be claimed by owners or adopted: there was no room for a dog requiring surgery or extensive rehab. Fortunately for Felix, he had a guardian angel who reached out to Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston for help.
The SPCA vet’s initial assessment stated that Felix had an old injury that may require amputation of the leg, however, Felix continued to use the leg and the vet reported that “Due to extent & chronicity of injuries, amputation may worsen prognosis.” Because the SPCA requires that animals be altered before leaving the premises, we requested that their vet staff take x-rays of the injury while Felix was anesthetized for surgery and they agreed, sending the radiographs to our vets at Bear Branch Animal Hospital. Together we coordinated volunteers to pick up Felix and get him to BBAH where, following examination and review of x-rays, he was referred to North Houston Veterinary Specialists and scheduled an appointment with a surgeon the next day.
It did not take long for Dr. Michael McFadden to see that Felix had a distal femur fracture requiring surgery to align the bones and a plate to keep them in place. We agreed with Dr. McFadden’s prognosis that Felix would have a much better quality of life with the leg repaired than having it amputated so we set the date for surgery on the following Monday and contacted WestieMed for help. Surgery is quite costly and Felix was just one of several high-needs dogs who came into our program within a very short period of time. In addition to follow-up care in the next eight weeks following surgery, Felix will also need dental cleaning once he has been cleared by the vets.
The surgery went well for Felix so now he is on the road to recovery. He is quite the trooper, walking around using the once broken now repaired leg as soon as he was awake. He will be required to remain in confinement for eight weeks following surgery with no jumping, running, or playing as terriers love to do, but he does get extra lap time as his foster mom goes through range-of-motion exercises with him daily to help him heal properly.
We are very grateful to WestieMed for being available to help Felix and so many other Westies. Thank you!
Maggie Escriva Westie & Scottie Rescue Houston
Update November 11, 2016: (Felix now called Murphy)
Felix – WestieMed Grant Recipient
We recently received an update on our little Felix, now “Murphy,” from his forever mom and wanted to share it with the wonderful supporters of WestieMed.
Murphy has completely healed from his broken leg and was adopted this spring by a lovely lady who lives in a senior apartment complex. She reports that he is an absolute joy. He is very particular about his walks and has the walk of a Westminster Show Dog.
Although he barked at everyone he met at first, he now does not bark at all (unless he is surprised by someone) and is known and loved by all the neighbors. She finished her note with, “I am so blessed to have this little guy in my life.”
Thanks to WestieMed, we were able to fix Murphy’s leg so he would be out of pain and live a healthy, normal life, a life that impacts more than his immediate family.
I would like to tell a story about a Westie named Neko. Neko was adopted from the Fulton County Animal Shelter. I’m not sure what led me to this particular shelter over another one but it was meant to be.
As well as you all know you take a chance adopting because you don’t know the history. Some cannot handle the confident personality of the Westies. I believe he could have been neglected and ran away or was surrendered. But with love and patience, I was determined to change his future.
Neko is now in a loving forever home and is happy and friendly. We walk on the trail daily but due to a left dislocated shoulder, he has been on crate rest.
Thanks to WestieMed he will be able to walk, run, and play again soon! He loves to shake hands with his left paw and the surgery will also allow him to do that again as well.
I am soo thankful to have found this charity as I was getting down because I could not bring myself to go on the trail without him. With your funding, he is scheduled for surgery. I could not have done this without your help. I am forever grateful as Neko will be on his road to recovery and running again very soon.
Thank you for all that you do. When our Westies are down, a huge part of us is down too! Not only do you help the pets, but you also help the owners’ spirits as well.
Yours Truly,
Neko and Crystal
Update May 28, 2016
Neko is walking on his favorite trail again! Thanks for helping with surgery!
Crystal
Update November 21, 2016
Neko – WestieMed Grant Recipient
Good afternoon.
Neko is doing good.
He went to GVR rebab in Marietta, GA for a while but I cannot afford to keep going.
However, the underwater treadmill really helped after surgery.
