SUCCESS STORIES.
Tarzan's Story
Tarzan, along with fifteen other dogs, was removed from a home and placed with BCARL. At the time, he was full of fleas, malnourished, and only walked on three of his legs.
The vet determined he had a dislocated femur that occurred long enough for all of his leg muscles to atrophy. He required a femoral head osteotomy, a surgical operation to remove the head and neck from the femur. This orthopedic procedure artificially regains a joint where the femur meets the hip with the hopes that he would once again be able to use all four of his legs.
Tarzan convalesced with a foster family where he received love, proper exercise, and the therapy needed for his recovery. It was remarkable to see how quickly he started using the injured leg. It wasn't long before he was back with us at the animal rescue center waiting for the next chapter of his life to begin.
Tarzan had a wonderfully sweet nature with just the right amount of orneriness. He was soon adopted into a forever home. His new live came with a new name, Trooper, as well as a yard to run around in and a doggy sister. He is a much-loved addition to his new family.
Gramps’s Story
Gramps was a senior cat that had not been cared for. He had an extremely inflamed mouth (stomatitis), was FIV positive, and had issues with his reproductive system (cryptorchid). The vet tried treating the stomatitis with medication initially but all his teeth eventually had to be removed. BCARL needed to find him a special someone who would take on an elderly cat with medical needs.
In late spring during the COVID-19 lockdowns, a young woman was looking for a low-key, furry companion, and Gramps fit the bill perfectly.
Here is what Gramps's new roommate had to say after she had had him a few weeks:
“I just wanted to send you a few pics of Gramps from the past few weeks. I can’t tell you enough how thankful I am for Gramps and how much he has already touched my heart and life. He has been a fan favorite amongst my college friends! The questions are always around, “How is Gramps?” I wasn’t quite sure his legs worked in the beginning because of how much sleep he gets, but he has been making his way around a little more and more each week. He is a fan of blankets, snuggles, salmon, and White Cheddar Popcorn.”
TomTom’s Story
TomTom came to BCARL from a hoarding case along with thirty-two other animals. The conditions were horrible. TomTom was petrified to do anything. He often had to be carried through doorways and downstairs. You can see in the first photo of him how afraid he was to move.
From his forever fur-mom:
“I adopted TomTom, now known as Dodger, in December of 2019. He came from a hoarding case with many other abused and neglected animals. I had no intention of adopting another dog, but the more time I spent with him, the more I fell in love with him. All the other labs were adopted very quickly once posted for adoption, but there was Dodger, with no interest or applications. He was waiting for me, and in a way, I was waiting for him too. He is such a fun, silly, happy dog.
He loves car rides, puppucinos, the dog park, doggy daycare, and his new best friend, Fred, a big orange tabby cat. I foster cats and I'm always bringing in new additions to my animal family, and Dodger is such a good boy and so sweet to all his new friends. Because of his previous life and likely due to poor backyard breeding, Dodger is timid. He is afraid of new people, places, and things. He had severe separation anxiety when I first adopted him, and it took a solid nine months of training, love, and patience to break. He still bolts at the slightest sound. It took him months just to get used to the sounds and smells of my apartment. I thought when I adopted a lab we would go swimming, hiking, etc. I had visions of trips and outdoor activities. The reality is that Dodger is happiest curled up on the couch with me and Fred, and that's ok. I wouldn't have him any other way. I'm so grateful to BCARL for rescuing him and allowing me to adopt him.”
Skippy’s Story
Three young kittens came to BCARL with seven other cats. One of the kittens didn't make it and the little male, Skippy, had to have one of his eyes removed due to his previous owner not treating an upper respiratory infection. His other litter mate is also blind in one eye as a result of neglect.
Skippy was very afraid and shy, but one of BCARL’s wonderful foster homes took him in to help with his socialization. With time and patience, Skippy came out of his shell. He is now thriving in his forever home!
