 The Residents Howie Our First Resident February 2003  Update December 2007 As testimony to commitment and care, Howie continues to baffles us all. He remains stable and active, and is proof that odds and test results don’t always tell all. Howie remains in seach of yet just another toy! We have seen increased occurrences of frustration with him showing some temperament changes, but he remains Howie – our reason to believe they all have should have “A Place for Hope” Howie was rescued by Alabama Pug Rescue and Adoption, Inc., in May of 2001. He was deemed healthy at the time of rescue and placed in a loving family. Shortly after placement Howie began to show signs of a kidney problem, and after extensive testing was found to have liver disease. This was too much for a family with young children to understandably commit to, and he was immediately returned to APRA for the care he would need. A liver biopsy done in 2002 confirmed that fact that Howie’s liver is extremely diseased. He remains "healthy" at the time of his acceptance into "A Place for Hope" but requires a prescription diet and medications to keep his system cleansed. He is a Pug with a mix of all, and has touched all who have read his story. While there have been numerous inquiries toward the possibility of adoption, the uncertainty and expense of his future have been a deterrent.
Chip Our Fifth Resident  Chip has a form of epilepsy that causes focal seizures, sadly, sometimes as many as 20 a day. These cause him to run wildly, pace back and forth, bite at imaginary objects and at times have bursts of aggression. His medications include Phenobarbital and Potassium Bromide. Chip also must have monthly monitoring of his medication levels. Chip’s condition requires patience and understanding of his disorder. During his normal times, he is quite the clown, happy, full of mischief (look at that picture!!!) and extremely affectionate. “A Place for Hope” will care for Chip for the remainder of his life as any stress in his routine causes an increase in his seizures. Please don’t feel sorry for him, he doesn’t understand why or when he does this, and he doesn’t hurt, and we know how to handle him. He just must remain in a protected environment with those who understand him and his condition, and will love him unconditionally for “the life of the dog.”
Ms. Peppers Our Sixth Resident  What a delight! Because of her age and length of time in foster care, she will not be rehomed. Ms. Peppers sadly lost her owner several years ago, and was rehomed in a situation that destroyed her self-esteem. It took months to convince her that she was meant to be inside, and not underneath shrubs or bushes. Her days now consist of sleeping and eating, and “woofing” for her treats.
Violet Our Eighth Resident  Violet entered rescue at a mere nine pounds. Emaciated and with a severe uterine infection, she underwent emergency surgery. Her nutritional status was so poor that her muscles were wasting and walking was extremely difficult. This was soon resolved with consistent care and excellent nutrition. During Violet's recovery period, a mass was was removed from her chest, and was found to be a mast cell tumor. Violet has recurrent "tumors" between her toes that are currently being observed, and due to the "grading" of her tumor, Violet will remain in "A Place for Hope."
Pearl Our Ninth Resident  When Pearl first entered rescue we felt she was about 10-11 years old. It is now apparent that she is much older, and due to her age and blindness, she will remain in "A Place for Hope." She is very happy (and very loved) in her environment, and to move her would require months for her to learn a new home. At her age, we feel that this type of stress would not be in her best interest.
Jackson Our Eleventh Resident  Jackson will now be cared for in "A Place for Hope" for the rest of his life. He has spent the last two years of his life in his foster home; and up until the last six months he waited for his first family to return for him. We will not ever let this sweet boy suffer from the loss of a family again. Jackson is home at last.
Maggie Our Thirteenth Resident  Maggie has severe diabetes and the slightest change in her life causes serious health problems. After six months in "A Place for Hope" she is beginning to stabilize. All agree that it is in the best interest of her health that Maggie remain in her current environment where she adores her caregivers, and is maintained on a very strict schedule for insulin and dietary needs.
Joon  Joon entered rescue in 2004. Repeated attempts to place her have failed because of personality issues and health concerns. Joon becomes extremely anxious outside of her own environment, and because she suffers from COPD, episodes of stress cause her condition to worsen. Therefore, Joon will be cared for as a Resident where all of her needs are understood and met. Joon is estimated to be 10 years old.
Emma  Emma entered rescue in 2007 and is estimated to be at least 15 years old. She has some obvious neurological problems in her spine, and has skin issues that must be closely monitored. Because of her age, she will not be placed. In fact, she has applied for "Resident Director" of our Sanctuary. She is quite the character who had to brighten many lives in her past.
Abby
Abby's medical records estimate her to be around 13 years old. Her basic needs in life are food and sleep. She was placed, but returned because she did nothing but sleep. Because the owner who "gave her away" was the second owner, and because of her activity level, we believe her to be much older. Abby has limited hearing and sight, and prefers to be alone most of the time.
Ruthie  Ruthie is our second diabetic to become a Resident. Her diabetes is well controlled, but there has not been interest in adopting her because of her condition. Because she has remained in rescue for such a long time, she will become a Resident to avoid interrupting the continuity of her care.
Paris  Paris is a victim of total blindness and strong personality conflicts. She arrived with Prince the Poodle several years ago, both obvious victims of chemical burns to the face and eyes. One of her blind eyes has already been removed, the other one will be at some point in her future due to excessive scarring.
Zoe  Possibly one of saddest cases, Zoe suffers from extreme allergies; and poor socialization. It was over a year before Zoe could be in the same room with another dog without hiding. She was delivered to APRA in a crate, and we believe that because of her allergies she had lived in such an environment her entire life. She currently is maintained on daily antihistamines and every other day oral cyclosporine “Atopica” to take the edge of her allergies. Allergy shots were given, but reactions cause this treatment to be discontinued. Even the 50% improvement has proved to give Zoe a better quality of life. She must live a total indoor life because of her problems – outside activities cause her feet to swell and bleed. She uses adult incontinent pads for urination and defecation and is kept totally indoors (though we admit to carrying her out for sunshine on pretty spring and autumn days).
While there are also items listed specific to each individual dog's needs as residents of |