On August 14, a sweet boy, who we named Red, was brought through our doors by an Animal Control Officer in Wasaga Beach. We’ve heard some stories about how he became a stray but will never truly know his past or how this came about. After the required holding period, with no one coming forward to claim him, Red became ours.
…A first life changing moment for Red.
In the stray documentation prepared, Red was identified as a Pit Bull which complicated his future due to the Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) in Ontario. This meant this gentle boy could not be adopted within the province of Ontario.
During Red’s medical intake there were a few areas of concern noted – he appeared to have a fairly significant case of allergic dermatitis and was immediately started on some medication to help manage this. More detrimental though, was the severe injury to his right front leg that X-rays determined to be elbow dysplasia and a regimen of pain management was initiated. Surgery to correct this would be very costly.
Red is just one of those dogs that sneaks under your skin and into your heart. Our entire team quickly fell in love with this beautiful boy who was happy and loving in spite of his medical condition and being without a home of his own.
Our transfer search began. While some Humane Societies have successfully adopted dogs out-of-province, we knew that with Red’s medical condition, it would be a huge barrier for an individual to take on this kind of expense. Of course, our timing could not have been worse in trying to find a Bully Rescue to which we could transfer Red. Rescues and Humane Societies are experiencing a significant number of surrenders and strays, drastically limiting the opportunity for transfer.
Until one day… Bullies In Need answered our call for help and drove over 2 hours to meet Red… and yes, they also fell in love. How could they not. The challenge was for them to now find an appropriate foster who could manage him through his medical rehabilitation.
…Another life changing moment for Red.
Unfortunately, finding that appropriate foster took some time and Red was waiting with a severe injury that had not been addressed. In consultation with Dr. Justin Levy at Thornbury Veterinary Hospital, it was determined that he would have to order special plates in order to perform wrist fusion surgery on our boy. This surgery would be very costly and likely more than we could expect a Transfer partner to take on.
We reached out to one of our very special donors who didn’t hesitate to support this surgery for Red. We are so blessed to have the support of the Zoey Foundation and thank them for being a significant part of his journey.
…Another life changing moment for Red.
Shortly after the decision to move forward with Red’s surgery, Bullies in Need informed us that they had a very experienced foster step forward and asked if they could come and meet him!! Janina and Daniel drove from Pickering and yes, they too fell in love…
…Another life changing moment for Red.
On November 17, Red finally had his surgery as the special plates took some time to arrive. He was on a very strict post-operative care regimen with very limited movement and exercise. Red enjoyed lounging around in our Meet & Greet Room with whomever happened to be working in there and was quite content to entertain himself with a stuffy.
…Another life changing moment for Red.
On December 2, members of the Transport team drove Red to his foster home in Pickering. Bullies in Need will take over his journey from here as he goes through his rehabilitation under their care and they ultimately find him a forever home out-of- province.
If anyone is ever looking for examples of the standard of care the GTHS provides, please tell them Red’s story. Whether they come through our doors as a stray, a transfer or owner surrender, the love and care they receive is something in which we all take great pride. #LoveLivesHere
