LOVE HEALS

Hi, I'm TJ, aka TJ the Wonder Dog, that's what my mom calls me, and I would like to share my story with you so you can see how important dog rescue fosters are to so many dogs, including me. I am a Pitbull mix, my mom says she thinks I am a Pitbull and Boxer mix, she tells all those mean and nosy Pit Bull hating Karen's that I am a rare Giant North American Chihuahua, and the look on their faces when they hear that, ha, priceless. Before my mom decided to foster me she already had two other dogs, Dexter, who is a chihuahua terrier mix, he is so cute, but man he can be really loud and annoying, and Lola-Sophia, a Pitbull who my mom thinks is mixed with Rhodesian, but I don't care what she is, all I know is she was my friend from the minute we were introduced. What is really great is that both my new brother and sister are adopted rescues too. My mom still goes to school and also works as a medical assistant. We live in a two bedroom apartment. Even though the apartment is small, and she is very busy, she always makes time for all of us. She loves us so much that she took her beautiful yellow Camaro, which I rode in like a boss, and traded it for a Toyota SUV so she could take us all on adventures. Some may say she is crazy for doing that, but we know it's because she loves us more than anything. She tells us that all the time.

Before the rescue people came to help me I was in a very bad place, but I was lucky because I know that there are all kinds of animals in very abusive situations. Some animals are being tortured, neglected, sick, injured, or abandoned, and some have even survived attempted murder. Murder you say, yes, when someone kills an innocent animal, it is still murder. Just because I, or any of my animal friends have four legs (or more) and not two, killing us is still killing an innocent sentient being, so it is still murder.

I had been chained and abandoned in Oklahoma. My humans at the time kept me chained outside to a tree, there was a small box so I could get in to if it rained or snowed. In Oklahoma it gets very hot, over 100 degrees, in the Summer, and very cold and wet in the Winter. I was outside for 1163-days, when you do the math it is 3.186 years. I don't know what happened to my first humans, but I guess they left, and they didn't take me with them. They left me chained in this yard with nothing but the box. Sometimes the old lady from across the street would bring me food and water, she said she was trying to get help, but no one came. Then one day someone came. There were several ladies, they were upset and they were trying to get the chain off of me, they said they were there to rescue me and take me to a safe place. There was a lady videoing me and the other ladies as they tried to get me free. Now I am going to let my mom tell you the rest of the story because once they rescued me they took me to the vet to get treated because I was very sick, but if you want, you can see my rescue video just follow this link: https://fb.watch/7hKLW_lLfZ/

Hi, I'm Amaryllis, and I am TJ's foster fail mom. He has told you some of his story, so allow me to share my story. One day, as I was updating my social media site, I ran across a live video broadcast which was happening at that moment. The video was showing an animal rescue organization rescuing a dog off of a big chain in a very bad environment. The yard was dirty, and had a bunch of junk, and there was this old igloo dog house which this dog was using as a meager source of shelter. I live in Oklahoma, and Summers here can be brutal and Winter here is bitter cold for anything that is outside without adequate shelter. As I watched this rescue happen something inside of me, specifically my heart, broke in to a million pieces and I began to cry. This poor dog, who had been through so much, was not fighting or barking but waiting patiently and letting these strangers save him, and it was at that moment I knew I had to do something for him. I knew I had to be the one to give him a warm, safe, loving place to lay his head and give him time to heal. Once they finally were able to remove the chain you could hear this poor dog coughing, and trying to breathe, but he was wagging his tail and telling his rescuers thank you. As the rescue workers walked him out, he stopped and urinated on the chain, as if he was saying "piss off, I'm outta here".

As soon as the video as over, and I dried my tears, I contacted the rescue. I explained to them I had just witnessed the rescue and I wanted to know what I could do to help, the rescue coordinator informed me that he was going to be vetted and then he would need a foster home to stay until he was well enough to be adopted. She informed me what I needed to do to apply to be a foster mom, which I have never done, and if I was approved we would make arrangements to introduce him to Dexter and Lola. I asked her if I could take him some things because I felt that this poor dog didn't have anything, she told me I could, but I wouldn't be able to see or meet the dog until he had been medically cleared. I told her I understood, I just want to take him some treats just for him. She said I could and gave me the name of the veterinary clinic he was being held at. I was so excited. I just knew this is what I was supposed to do. When we ended the call I immediately downloaded the foster application, I filled it out and returned it right away. After work I stopped at the local Petco and bought the dog a blanket and some toys. I took them to the clinic and told them I wanted him to have something that belonged to just him. The vet-tech took the items and told me that she would make sure he received them.

A few days later I received the call from the rescues foster coordinator and she let me know that I was approved to be his foster mom. I was so happy, I cried again. She informed me that TJ, that is what they named him, was very sick. He had advanced heartworm disease, and he had congestive heart failure because his heart was enlarged due to the heartworms. She told me that they had drained over a liter and a half of fluid from his belly and he was malnourished and underweight. She let me know that they found out TJ had been chained for 1163 days, and that a neighbor would bring him food. Someone finally contacted the rescue when they realized that the owners of the dog and the house had just left, leaving TJ chained in the yard with no water, food, or shelter. However, the neighbor lady apparently would take him food and water occasionally. She went on to let me know that he was undergoing the first of two heartworm treatments and he would be on daily medication during the treatment and most likely be on medication for the congestive heart failure for the rest of his life. I told her I understood and that I would do everything to make sure he was safe, secure and loved so he would be able to heal. I had never

A few days later I received a call letting me know that TJ was being released from the hospital and the foster coordinator was going to bring him to so we could introduce him to Dexter and Lola. When she arrived TJ was still a bit medicated from the heartworm treatment. When I first laid eyes on him my heart broke once again. This dog, which should have weighed at least seventy-five pounds barely weighed fifty three pounds. Every rib showed, his hip bones protruded, even the insertion point where his tail connected to his back end was prominent. As we had all three dogs in the front yard, Lola, my social butterfly, decided that TJ was going to be hers. She immediately wanted to play, she went up to him and it was an instant bonding. Dexter was indifferent, but all three dogs appeared to get along during the introduction. The foster coordinator unloaded his crate, gave me some food, and let me know that they rescue would be taking care of him financially and medically. I thanked her and TJ was home. She let me know if I needed anything I should call.

I had adopted rescue dogs before, but I had never had a dog who had been so mistreated and neglected, or as sick as he was. I had so much to learn about how to work with this dog, and it would be a long, road of learning for both of us. Some people don't believe that a dog has memories, well I can tell you they do. I would see TJ just standing, spacing out, frozen in a position like when he was chained. I would have to go up to him and move him so he could see he was no longer on a chain. Night time was hard on him to, I learned I had to approach him from the front so he could see me and would have to call him to wake him up, if not he would be aggressive, but only until he was awake and realized where he was. Dogs can have PTSD too. Imagine being tied up and not able to protect yourself. We will never know the depth of the abuse this poor boy went through. I soon realized that with the reactive behavior he could show, I didn't trust anyone to keep him safe. I promised this dog when I got him he would never be chained or abused again and I meant to keep this promise. I just had to work with him and it was going to take a lot of time, patience, understanding, and more patience, and there were many times I thought I was not going to be able to keep him because his issues were more than I could understand, but I couldn't give up on him because I knew if I did, no one would have tolerated the things I went through with him. However it was knowing this about this dog and how much I loved him already, I refused to give up and with the help of Andrea, the wonderful trainer who is on staff at the rescue who would take my calls when I was frustrated and talked me through some of the problems that we were experiencing as well as coming to my house to help me with his pulling and other behaviors as well as providing me with a special Starmark Collar (it's not a prong collar or a shock collar) to help me control him better when I walked him.

TJ and I went through a lot to get to where we are today, which is almost 2 years later. He has come so far. Today I can take him in to places like Petsmart without him reacting to other dogs. I can walk him and he loves car rides. His favorite place is in my bed next to me and the rest of his pack (Dexter and Lola) and he is my giant big squishy lovey boy. His health is much better. He is heartworm free and he now weighs eighty-five pounds. He was weighing ninety-seven pounds but the vet wants him between seventy and eighty pounds so as not to put stress on his heart and lungs. He will always have his heart condition and is on Lasix daily to prevent the fluid build up in his lungs, but you wouldn't know if you met him that he was so close to death only two years ago.

TJ's story is not unique. Sadly there are hundreds of amazing dogs who need to be fostered or rescued from terrible situations. They need a kind hand, and a safe place to rest and lay their head, and time to heal physically and emotionally. Dogs are commitments and to take one is to commit to giving them the best life they deserve, for the rest of their life, because their life is far shorter than we would like it to be, but it's important to be their at the end of their life also, so they know they are not alone and they are with their person. In return, they will love you unconditionally, they will never leave you voluntarily, and they will be the best friend you will ever have.

If you want to do something for a dog, but can't foster or adopt, please consider taking time to volunteer at your shelter or at one of the animal rescues in your area. By just going and sitting with a dog, or walking him, it will make a difference for him or her. Also please teach your children to be kind to these amazing beings to touch them and all animals with a gentle hand.

I want to thank CARE -Compassionate Animal Rescue, for doing all they do, Andrea, for being a great trainer and advocate, Ashleigh, the foster coordinator, and all the rescuers and fosters who work endlessly to save so many animals. The world is a better place with these people in it.

Please take a moment and follow the link to see TJ's rescue. https://fb.watch/7hKLW_lLfZ/

The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated. -Mahatma Gandhi