Animal Welfare Professionals

Hello all,

I'm looking for advice/recommendations on rescues that will take unknown medical cases. I'm currently fostering a 1yo mixed breed dog who has an unknown medical issue. She has limited mobility in her hind legs, not-so-great balance, and possible incontinence (is 90% pee pad trained) but still manages to get around fairly well, all things considered.  She has been Awaiting Rescue for almost three weeks now and we're extremely limited in rescues in our area that take medical cases, especially in pit mix dogs. Our executive director has the following requirements for all rescues we send our animals to: need to be a 501c3, have a permit with the local Animal Control and a license with the department of Ag in their county. We've reached out to all rescues within 3-4 hours of our shelter as well as the Best Friends Rep. for our area. Unfortunately, we are a smaller humane society, so our resources are limited and only under extreme circumstances are we approved for transport further than 4 hours. 

Any recommendations, helpful tips, and positive thoughts would be much appreciated!

#FosterPrograms
#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization
#TransfersandTransport

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Sydney Marchant
Community Engagement Assistant
Capital Humane Society
NE
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Hi Sydney,

Thank you for helping this sweet thing...it sounds like she's a strong gal with a willful spirit to match.  I would first look to use her as an extreme case  and work on an "exception to the 4 hour rule" and get that in place so as to expand your outreach.  While that's in progress, I would look into Bully breed sanctuaries or rescues.  In the meantime, can you also see about getting her a diagnosis through a fundraising campaign so her vet bills are paid?  I'm not sure what medical work has already been done, but if there's a spinal impingement and some steroids help, maybe it's just that easy.  Or if she needs a set of wheels to help, maybe someone has a used set somewhere they would be willing to donate.  Or if she has a bacterial infection maybe a round of heavy does antibiotics will help.

But I would start diving in to the bully breed rescues outside of your 4-hour restriction and start working on getting that exception for her exterme case.   Maybe with a rescue willing to help, it can encourage that exception to be made.

Best of luck to you and this little girl.

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Monica Bennion
Clowder 9 Ranch
Buhl, ID
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This is such a hard thing to face. I currently have 2 foster cats with mystery illnesses that even our vets are stumped about. I wish you the best of luck! 

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Kait Lesher
Director
Happy Paws Kitten Rescue
TN
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Thank you for the helpful tips! Unfortunately, we're having difficulties finding rescues that are empty enough to take a new addition. If anyone has any tips or tricks for finding/marketing for special needs adopters, that'd be great!

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Sydney Marchant
Community Engagement Assistant
Capital Humane Society
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