Special NeedsSpecial Needs
The following dogs have various health and behavior issues that require a little more time in our foster care program. If you would like to help with their care, please consider donating to HEART using the "donate" button at the top of the page! The care we provide for many of our dogs cost above and beyond the adoption fees we charge. As a non-profit volunteer organization, we depend on your donations to provide the additional care some of the dogs that enter our program require.
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Mattie
Breed: Lhas Apso/Poodle mix
Age: 1.5 years old
Mattie ended up in a local shelter after being found as a stray. His family did not come looking for him. He was so severely matted he had to be sedated to shave him down. We discovered he was missing an eye when we got a better look at him. After exploratory surgery to determine the nature of his eye injury, Dr. Rodgers discovered Mattie had a deformed eye in the socket. Dr. Rodgers was able to successfully remove the eye remnants and bring Mattie back to health!
Feeling a bit better now, Mattie is looking for a new home! He is a sweet, gentle, and affectionate dog with his family. With only one eye, he does have challenges wtih depth perception, so fast movements towards his head can sometimes cause him to get snappy. Once he realizes no harm is intended, he is again his docile self.
If you have a nice warm lap and a couch for Mattie to sit on, he will hang out with you all day. He loves going for walks and checking out the neighborhood. He's coming along beautifully and will be a wonderful companion for the right home!
We'd like to thank all the fantastic donors who helped fund the cost of Mattie's surgery! This is the type of care that costs well above the adoption fees we charge. Your donations help us give the best care we can to each dog that enters our program. Thank you!
5-4-10 Update: Mattie is still waiting for his forever home. He is a lovely dog with an outgoing and lively personality! He does great with his foster family and gets along with most dogs in his foster home! He'd make a great addition to an older household that would enjoy an active dog that can also relax with them in the evenings!
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Breed: Miniature Schnauzer
Gender: Female
Age: ~ 1.5 years old
Delta was transferred to HEART from a remote NC shelter in late October of 2009. She had been found as a stray and no one came to pick her up. She was badly matted and dirty, but behaviorally she was in great shape! Once we shaved her down, we discovered we had a cute little Schnauzer on our hands!
One of the first things we do with a new dog, in addition to bathing and shaving, when needed, is to take the dog to the vet. Delta's first vet visit was a bit disappointing. We learned that her left eye was deformed and would have to be removed. Before her surgery could be scheduled, Delta went into heat. Since heat cycles are very strenuous on a dog's body, our vet recommended we wait until January to remove the eye and spay her. It will be an extremely challenging surgery for her, but once she recovers, she should feel much better!
ADOPTED! Delta was adopted by a family that adopted another special needs dog from us over a year ago! Both dogs have bonded well and are becoming best friends! This is one lucky little girl!
Thank you to all who donated towards Delta's surgery! It was a rather extensive operation and your donations helped us pay the vet bills! The cost of care such as this is above and beyond the adoption fees we charge for our dogs and your donations make this sort of life-giving care possible! Thank you!
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Breed: Shih Tzu/ Poodle mix
Gender: Female
Age: ~1 year
Delaney was transferred to our program from a local shelter in August, 2009. One of our intake coordinators was picking up another dog at the shelter when Delaney was brought in by her owner wrapped in a towel. All that could be seen was a matted face looking out. The intake coordinator could not leave her there and brought her into the program, as well. Once the intake coordinator reached the transfer point for Delaney's foster home, it was discovered that Delaney was terrified of people. It took fifteen minutes to get her out of the car- she was terrified and snapping at the volunteers attempting to help her.
Once placed into her foster home, and with some discussion with the shelter about information provided by the previous owner, we realized Delaney had been living in a back yard with little human or other contact for over six months of her life. She eventually bonded with her foster mom. Her next step was to bond with her foster siblings. This took significantly longer. We believe she was removed from her litter at a young age and separated from other dogs. Socialization is absolutely essential for the health and psychological well-being of puppies! They need contact with other dogs for their first year and with as many humans as possible during the same time to learn and develop social skills.
Luckily, we had a puppy in the foster home that was able to start Delaney on her road to dog social interactions. She has continued to grow in her relationship with other dogs and is slowly learning the ins and outs of canine communication.
Delaney's interactions with humans is taking a bit longer. While she has developed a relationship with her two foster families, she is still terrified of strangers and in new surroundings. Her social development and rehabilitation will take many more months.
Eventually, Delaney will become savvy in her human and canine interactions and will be ready to find her new family. She will be a special adoption and will be seeking just the right family with love and understanding. This is the kind of dog that breaks our hearts and gives us hope. While she is not ready for a new home yet, she is on the road to recovery from a very difficult past!
5-4-10 Update:
Delaney is currently in her potential new home. She has had a great time playing with her new brother, exploring her new surroundings and getting to know her new family. She still has moments when she cannot cope, but her family has learned how to help her move past her fears and move on. She is a lucky girl to have found such a patient and understanding home!
If you'd like to donate funds to the cost of Delaney's extended stay in our foster program, please use the "donate" button above!_______________________________
Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Gender: Male
Age: ~ 5 years old
Winston is a good ol' boy with a sweet and gentle personality! He's a silly dog that has won the heart of his foster mom.
Winston is being treated for incontinence. He's had ultrasounds, antibiotics, and other medications to no avail. He is currently trying one more medication to see if it will clear up his "dribbling". We should know in a couple more months if it has been successful. If not, he will have another chat with his vet to see if he has any suggestions. While everything is where it should be, something just ain't right!
This little guy is quite happy in his foster home and is having a wonderful time. Once we get his medical issues resolved, he will be available for adoption.
5-4-10 Update:
Winston has finally responded to medications and seems to be "drip free"! As soon as we get clearance from our vet, he will be available for adoption!
If you'd like to donate to Winston's continued medical costs and extended stay in our foster program, please use the "donate" button at the top of this page!
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Zoe
Breed: Chihuahua
Gender: Female, spayed
Age: 2 years
This beautiful little girl came to us from a local shelter where she ended up as a stray. She was much too timid for them to find her a home, so we accepted her into our foster program.We know nothing about Zoe's background. Based on behavior we know that human contact was not a part of her life. She is great with dogs, which indicates to us that she may have been a backyard dog, or perhaps a dog used for breeding purposes.
Without socialization, dogs will revert to a "wild" nature. They will spurn human contact and avoid human touch. While she is not the least bit aggressive, Zoe does not encourage or welcome human touch. We've been working with her for a couple months now and expect to continue socialization and training.
At this point, Zoe accepts treats from the hand and will enter and leave the house with a person standing at the door. Both of these are progress for this great little dog. As we move forward, she will learn to walk on a leash and, we believe, learn to enjoy human touch and attention!
If you'd like to make a donation to help cover the costs of Zoe's extended stay in our foster program, please use the "donate" button at the top of this page!
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