Current harsh realities: Tulsa and Toby

The harsh realities of rescue work are not always as apparent as the happy stories we share.  There are times when our hearts break over a dogs’ situation, which, in most cases, could have been avoided.

Here are two examples of the hardships that happen behind the scenes at RAD.

First, we have T U L S A. 

When we went to Lebanon in October of 2020 to help our partners Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA), we came home with 31 dogs!  One of those dogs was a husky mix named Tulsa. 

It needs no mention that the conditions for animals in Lebanon is far different than the ones here in Canada; they have their own set of issues to contend with. BETA is an incredible organization who, every day, do their part to ensure that the dogs are safe, healthy, and have a good life, even though the adoption rate for rescues is practically at zero!

Although the law in Lebanon has recently changed, as the first animal welfare bill was passed in 2017, which made it illegal to subject any animal to brutality, this is still something that is far too rampant in the country.

Our Tulsa was left on the streets and hit by a car and left on the side of the road with not so much as a second thought.  We don’t know if she was hit by accident or on purpose, which sadly, is common practice in Lebanon. 

When BETA picked her up, her front leg was shattered. She was treated in Lebanon and her front leg healed. Once she was brought back to Canada, she started limping and it was clear she was in pain and uncomfortable. We immediately took her to our vet who confirmed she had hip dysplasia.  We took her to a specialist who performed an FHO (femoral head ostectomy) surgery. It all went well and she proceeded to receive therapy to help with her healing. Her front leg, however,  did not heal completely as it should have after the thorough treatment she received in Lebanon and she now has to get another surgery to fix it which will cost anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000.  While she has gone through all this, her big personality is still front and center, making her owners laugh on the daily.  She loves her humans and playing with other dogs and we hope that we will be able to resolve all her issues so she can get back to running around with her dog pals!

All the care Tulsa has had hasn’t been cheap, especially with so many unplanned surprises due to the unknown hip and front leg issues. The surgery to fix her hip was $2019.43 alone.  Top that with 3 additional surgeries and our bank account of donations was quickly being drained of funds.

Another sad story belongs to our sweet T O B Y.

Dogs are no different from humans when you think about it. They have personalities, have feelings, and are able to communicate with us in their own ways.

 We rescue all dogs, no matter their age, condition, and history. Toby, our little couch surfer, is a 7-year-old Hound mix who has not had the best of luck. While he started out living in a loving home where he had another dog as a best friend and a rabbit, the happy story took a turn after his dog best friend was hit by a car and died.  Toby felt this loss tremendously.  Only a month later, his owner became ill and was hospitalized indefinitely.  

Toby was sent to a new home with family where he was unfortunately abused. They put him up for adoption, and in the last 6 months, Toby has moved from house to house multiple times, for various reasons, including some health issues such as arthritis and is susceptible to ear infections. He became too much work for most people and still hasn’t found his forever home. Suffice it to say, Toby has trust issues from not being in one place long enough to connect with a new family. That is not to say he’s a bad dog, in fact, quite the opposite. 

We like to call him our big potato because he really is just a sweet dog.  He loves exploring (that’s his hound side coming out!), is good around other dogs and cats but does need someone that will be a real parent. He needs to know that you will take care of him and that he does not need to be the alpha of the house anymore. He will try to be the boss of you with those puppy-dog eyes! 

Any dog is a commitment, not just a short-term hobby. And in Toby’s case, with his various health issues that will require medication, it will take someone or a family who are ready to make that commitment and give him the proper care, attention, and stability that he so deserves!

At the time of the Jan 2021 newsletter issue, Toby is still looking for his forever home.  If you think you or someone you know would be the perfect fit for our potato, go to our website and fill out the application form!

So while we love to show you the happy, wagging tails of our rescues living their best lives, we also want you to know that there are hardships we deal with too.  Whether it is unforeseen health issues, conditions of abuse or neglect, or the result of greedy people taking advantage of the uninformed, we want to be transparent with you and show you all the facets of the rescue life.  It’s only with your help that we can help as many dogs as we do and the dogs and RAD thank you!