Bear, along with his brother Milo, came to us in April of 2020. Looking at their surrender paperwork these two came from a farm where the family’s breadwinner had lost his job due to the pandemic. The surrender form stated that they were “too expensive to feed”. Both dogs were in dire need of veterinary care and neither had been neutered. Bear had dry scaly skin and sores, fleas and tapeworms. Orthopedically he was a mess and could only extend his back hip about half way. The vet opted to X-ray him only to find that his left femur (thigh bone) was fractured at the hip and his backside and legs contained buckshot. The veterinarian could not believe that he could walk on that leg, let alone run and play! Since his mobility was so good despite the fracture, the vet recommended we leave it alone and instead focus on good pain management and limited activity in hopes for healing. Having a dog in Bob’s House that requires special care is not uncommon, but we wanted to make sure we provided him with the best environment for optimal recovery.
Rehoming Bear was not going to be an easy task. We first moved Bear up to our front office so he wouldn’t be temped to play and jump with the other dogs. Being segregated from the pack caused Bear to be really anxious instead of relaxed and healing like we had hoped. Amy, Director of Bob’s House for Dogs, enjoyed having him in the office, but was uncomfortable with his anxiety and felt sorry for him. So much so she took him home. When I asked Amy why she took Bear home this was her answer, “Bear needs a household without steps, and someone to make sure that he does not overwork his leg. Plus we are here to watch for signs of discomfort, and diminished quality of life. He enjoys his short walks, but it is evident that his age is catching up to him, especially when it is humid. He gets along well with our other dogs, and he and the cat seem like they were long-time friends. Bear is polite, quiet (he has never barked, not once) and tolerates Chewy and his OCD behavior like a gentleman (Chewy is a past Bob’s House resident that suffers from severe anxiety).”
Amy said Bear can really relax in her home as evident by his very loud snoring. His time with her may not be long, but we are sure he is experiencing what it is like to be a beloved pet and the apple of his human’s eyes.
Milo is enjoying all that life has to offer at Bob’s House in our Dying With Dignity Program and seems very content and happy to be with us.
Danica Lowry, Bob’s House for Dogs Board of Directors
