A friend alerted us to the plight of an acquaintance, who was intending to give up her dog, and asked if we would be able to help.
We learnt that the acquaintance had a poodle, who is about 4 years old. He had been caged up for the past 6 months as his owner had fallen ill. With 2 young kids to care for, the owner could not manage and thus had no choice but to confine her dog in order to ease her situation. In life, things don't always go according to plan. While one may have good intentions, there may be unforeseen circumstances that force someone to make difficult decisions. We empathized with the owner's situation and agreed to take over the dog.
When we saw him, he looked unkempt and was slightly underweight. Yet, his lovely personality shone through immediately. Despite being caged up for so long, he remained good natured and was so happy to be let out of the cage for a walk. His joy was infectious.
We named him Prince.
Here at HOPE, a dog’s well-being is always our utmost concern. Whenever we take in a new dog, the first thing we do is to send the furkid for a full medical screening. Blood tests for heartworm and tick fever, tests for kidney & liver functions, complete blood count, dental checks and vaccination - the full works. That is why rescuing a dog does not come cheap nor is it easy. Often times, there are upfront costs like these that rescuers have to fork out even before the dog settles down. And these costs can add up quickly if the dog is unwell or requires medical treatment and follow up visits to the vet.
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| At the vet for a full medical |
Prince's case was no different. He went for a full checkup just like all our other rescue cases. Fortunately, he's in pretty good health, apart from his liver values which are on the high side. Further tests also revealed he had bladder and kidney stones. His teeth will also require scaling soon.
Well, there is a happy ending to Prince's story, for he has found a new family. We hope he can now go on to have the best life that all good dogs deserve.
Sometimes, love means having to let go, however unwilling one may be. In this case, the owner did the right thing and unselfishly agreed to rehome her dog, rather than continue to keep it by her side even when she didn’t have the means to care for it. And for that, and on Prince's behalf, we thank her.
