AN EXTRA-SPECIAL ADOPTION We believe all adoptions are special--both to adopters and adoptees. After all, lives are being changed for the better! But then there are certain adoptions, maybe those that involve a returned Greyhound who was without hope; or an old brood who seemed to think her best days were behind her; or a dog with some sort of impairment that made him or her less-than-desireable on the adoption front. These are the extra-special adoptions. Such was the case with Cullen. You remember Cullen, dont you? We took him in way back on September 3rd after he suffered a serious injury while playing with his littermates on the breeding farm. His leg, between the elbow and the shoulder, was shattered. His breeder took him to a veterinarian who recommended either amputation or euthanasia. He just couldnt do it. Not only was Cullen only 9 months old, but he happened to be his favorite. The breeder called us, and we advised him to drop the dog at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Red Bank, NJ. We then phoned surgeon Dr. Jill Sammarco and advised her that a particularly challenging case was headed her way. After five hours of surgery, which involved a plate, pins, and screws, Cullen had the best treatment our money, over $5,000, could buy. Next came the healing process. For the first month post-surgery, Dawn Dowd fostered him, and took him to be neutered, too. Next, Karen Hartmann had Cullen for a month and helped acclimate him further to the world beyond the farm and veterinary hospitals. But Cullens leg was not all we hoped it would be, and the veterinarians at Rau Animal Hospital said they thought he would benefit from physical therapy. Dr. Sammarco concurred. Who, we wondered, would be willing and/or able to bring him to Rau twice a week for two months, not to mention perform range of motion exercises at home? Enter our long-time fosters Carol Rowehl and John Kahler. Dutifully, they did what needed to be done and helped advance Cullen from a dog who was mainly three-legged, to one who is mainly four-legged. Yet, Cullen needed even more than that: he needed a home. Our old friends, Tom and Ursula Simpson, read our appeal and realized they had room for one more. Presently, they have one female Greyhound, and two males. They have been adopting from us for over 20 years and have had 15 Greyhounds total, even some with formerly broken legs, the result of track injuries. In addition to experience, they also had another resource: one of their sons, David, has an undergraduate degree in physical therapy, and is now working toward his doctorate in chiropractic. Who better to advise his parents on the whole exercise-at-home routine? And so today, one-year-old Cullen had his final appointment at Rau Animal Hospital. Dr. Bishop, the veterinarian who oversees Raus physical therapy department, explained to the Simpsons what needs to be done to make Cullens future as bright as possible. John and Carol explained all they had been doing for Cullen. And we watched in amazement as these various parties came together with expertise, with commitment, and, yes, with love for this remarkable boy, Cullen. An extra-special adoption, indeed.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 00:43:39 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015