We
agree that Barbara Woodhouse's above statement couldn't be more
true!!! As you will read, these dogs have suffered terrible
abuse yet have become the most loving and incredible dogs. What
a Difference 5 Months Makes!!!
Our story of Charlie began on, April 18, 2001.
Our knowledge of Charlie's past history is unknown. It all
began with a plea to the "Maltese Only" Website from a
young woman living in Toronto. The message was picked up and
forwarded by a rescue person in NYC...
"A poor little dog was left tied to our
doorstep last weekend, he has almost no hair to the back of his body
and was scratching profusely, otherwise alert. We took him in
overnight and brought him to the shelter the next morning. After
speaking with the vet he thought the dog was a Maltese, and took
skin scrapings but is unsure of his condition other than stating he
has some "seborrhea." He hinted the dog will likely be put
down. I am so upset I can't sleep, not wanting the dog to be put
down ... we have been considering adopting but I just don't think we
can take him, not knowing the severity or nature of his real
condition makes it hard (the shelter only seems to do the basics in
testing - their goal is to make the dog comfortable only). Can
anyone explain more about the problems that could cause a dog to
bald/scratch and also suggest any way to find a home for this
precious creature??" (we are in Toronto Canada)
The young woman was contacted by the USA rescue
person who had a long discussion about the efforts to find a Maltese
rescue in Toronto. Everyone really wanted to work something
out to save him and knew she really cared about helping the little
guy.
The first vet who checked Charlie told the young
woman he was a Maltese, labeled as #A235802, and had primary
seborrhea, ear infection, etc. She also planned on visiting
the little dog again at the shelter the next day to see how he was
doing. But by Friday afternoon the young woman wrote:
"A sad end to the saga - an update from
the shelter -the little dog got sicker and yesterday was seen again
by the vet who found that he is very ill with Cushing's disease and
a few other problems too- he is quarantined and will be put down
very soon. Thank you so very much for your sincere help- it is
nice to know there are a lot of loving people in the world!"
She was obviously upset and there appeared to be
no choice but to accept that the little dog, only known as #A235802,
would be "put down". But this story has a happy
ending and the extra efforts were not in vain......
The world is full of rescue angels that don't
give up easily.... through a series of messages being forward and
re-forwarded to track down help for this little dog, stretching from
Toronto, to New York, to California, and finally back to Toronto,
"Happy Tails Rescue" received a plea for help to rescue
this little soul!
We contacted the parties to relay that we were
heading to the shelter. After some desperate pleading on our
own part, we convinced the shelter to release the dog to us in hopes
that we could save him rather than them putting him down. This
poor dog was in terrible shape -- hardly any hair was left covering
his body and his skin was red with several sores showing!
Also, he could hardly walk he was so weak!! An immediate visit to
our vet did not bring much promise, they advised that the dog was
"too far gone" and that he "wouldn't likely make
it!" "Happy Tails Rescue" felt otherwise and we
asked for the "works", the best we could get to hopefully
bring him around....special potent vitamins and omegas, various Bach
flower remedies to heal his skin, special, gentle shampoos to
cleanse his sores and naked skin..... We also prepared him special
homemade, high nutrient, raw food meals loaded with fresh organic
meat, liver, herbs, vegetables and fruits, all specifically geared
to the little guys' needs.
Through further examination, it was discovered
that this poor dog was not only missing 60% of his hair, he didn't
have any teeth either!! (Hence his little tongue hangs out the side
of his mouth!) To further complicate things, a severe heart
murmur was detected which meant he could not be neutered as he would
not survive the operation.
Little #A235802 was renamed "Charlie",
which became "Charlie Bean". Little Charlie began to
quickly put on weight and his hair amazingly beginning to grow in
almost immediately!!! The tests on his skin and blood work
came back fine without any serious diseases, which - while good news
in itself, meant little Charlie was in this terrible shape because
of horrific malnutrition and human neglect!!!!
Charlie quickly took advantage of the hefty feeding schedule we put
him on and he was eating like a little piglet!!!
(Charlie sitting with Paul - 2 mths
After Arriving...)
You should see when what happens
when someone is having ICE
CREAM! Charlie is practically IN the bowl!
Certain behaviours he exhibited led us to
suspect that he may have been kept as a "puppy mill" dog
or by a "backyard breeder" -- terrible situations were
dogs are kept in inhumane, cruel, unsanitary conditions where they
are repeatedly bred solely for money (please see "Links"
page for more information on puppy mills and how you can help stop
the puppy mills). Charlie quickly learned to bond with people
and enjoyed the protective perch on the back of the couch and
sitting over
your shoulder. Once Charlie was back on his feet, we quickly
realized he had "zero" manners, didn't understand any
basic commands, was not housetrained, nor was he used to grass!!!
When first placed onto the lawn, he didn't know what it was and "freaked
out", racing back to the familiarity of the concrete patio to
"do his business"!!! Needless to say, Charlie was
going to be a challenge but everyone seemed up to the tasks at
hand!!!
May 21, 2001
3 1/2 weeks later though we faced a terrible set
back....Sunday evening Charlie began to whimper and started to
"hide" in the house and began to stagger. We
realized immediately that he needed help and raced him over to the
Emergency Vet Hospital where he was diagnosed as having Congestive
Heart Failure.....Again we were told he would not likely make
it!!!!! Our hearts were breaking hearing that this
little trooper who had been through so much already, was now faced
with a further serious heart condition! We begged the
Vet for options we could try and he prescribed a new medication on
the market we could try, called "Fortekor", an
ace-inhibitor which might be able to regulate the valves in his
heart!!! Two days later, Charlie was blitzing around the
backyard again obviously back on his feet!!
September 10th, 2001
Today, Charlie (a.ka. "the Beaner")
spends his days playing and running with his best buddies, Muffy
(Bichon) and Typsy (Yorkie); "dancing" (the only trick he
did on his own initiative); "sitting" for treats (he
"gets it" now so quickly he whams his backside into the
floor so fast he actually makes a small thump!); and most recently,
snoozing in the sun (frogs-legs style) on the grass or simply
curling up with Muffy and Typsy in their baskets in the front window
in the sunshine!! His hair is pretty much normal now and
people stop me in the street asking me about the "lovely
dog"!!!
The Beaner will be staying with us forever
now....originally I had planned to rehabilitate him and would try to
find a very special home for him. The problem and
decision about Charlie became that it wasn't really that it might be
difficult to place a dog that required a special diet, nor the fact
that he needs daily medication... or hasn't any teeth... or isn't
neutered. The REAL TRUTH is I don't think I could ever let him
him down or lead him to believe I had abandoned him.....after
everything he has had to endure and survive, after finally learning
to trust humans, after making it through it all in every way against
ALL odds...after building up a great confidence level in himself
(not to mention a sweet and fun-loving personality), I just couldn't
bear to take his new world away from him. The Beaner IS safely
home.
Special Thanks (and that hardly begins to touch
the truth) to each and every one of you who helped out with
your generous donations, covering Charlie's expensive vet bills when
we needed it most, and also for your prayers!!! Your
support has been tremendous and cherished!!! You give me
faith in humanity when I often believe it has been lost! I
thank God for each of you!!
Our "Beaner"!
UPDATE: :( Sadly on July 3,
2004, we finally lost the battle with Charlie's heart condition and we
had to release him to back to God. We were sad to have him leave
us, but rejoice in the fact that God blessed us and allowed him to be
part of our furry family for nearly 3 years, all time that was
borrowed certainly, considering how he came to me.
(MORE STORIES
COMING SOON!!!!)
