IMG_5794 from ABANDONED PET RESCUE on Vimeo.
It was 2011. He was about 18 months old at the time. He was returned to Miami Dade Animal Control after he was found wandering. He had been chipped. He was severely injured from an apparent auto accident and no one could find out what had happened to his adopters. To save his life Abandoned Pet Rescue’s team brought Rudy, the German Shepherd Malinois, to our shelter. And that’s where our story of love begins.
It was learned that, not only, was Rudy’s pelvis damaged but so were his feet. He could not walk and dragged his feet causing constant injury. Further examination discovered distemper and a neuro muscular disease called myasthenia gravis.
The APR team worked to bring him back to health but knew that he would need daily medical attention including the wrapping of his feet to prevent infection and help him walk safely.
Despite all of his maladies he was a warm loving dog full of determination. Rudy has provided the staff and volunteers with love and enjoyment every day for the last 9 years. But it has always been our goal to find Rudy a permanent home where he could truly love and be loved.
Last week a professor from Deerfield Beach contacted the shelter and wanted to meet Rudy. He learned about APR through our Clear The Shelters campaign with NBC and Telemundo in August. He had always wanted a dog but travelled a lot and didn’t think getting a dog would work.
Now that COVID hit and he began to teach from home he thought the time was right. He told us he was looking for someone to love him but realized he was looking for someone to love and that came in the form of Rudy. When Stuart first met Rudy he immediately got down on the floor with him and wanted to learn how to wrap his feet. And thanks to technology Rudy now wears boots and no longer needs daily wraps.
APR’s shelter manager Linda Halverson said she could see an immediate bond between the two… “like they knew each other.”
Dear Rudy: you will be missed but we are so grateful to Stuart for bringing you into his life. Long Live Rudy and Stuart… another APR Happy Tail.
But our love stories are not over yet…
Bessie waited four years for a forever home, and Abandoned Pet Rescue is ecstatic to share that she hit the jackpot when it came to finding a wonderful family!
Bessie was recently ADOPTED by APR’s team member Sierra who was in love with Bessie from the moment she saw her. Whenever someone says, “thank you for adopting Bessie,” Sierra sincerely responds, “I’m so lucky to have her.”
Here is Bessie’s adoption story in Sierra’s words: “I loved Bessie from the moment I saw her. She was old and her whiskers looked like a little beard, and I thought she was adorable! I first met her in December of 2018 and wanted to adopt her then, but it was believed that Bessie needed to be the only animal in a home, and my family had just adopted another dog from APR and had taken in a stray cat.
While volunteering and working at APR, I got to know Bessie very well and decided to try bringing Bessie home to see how she would do with the other pets. She now loves her cat brother and dog sister!
Many people think of the downsides of adopting an older dog, but senior pets have so much love to give and are grateful for being in a loving home. The thought of taking care of a senior dog or a pet with special needs may seem daunting at first, But, taking care of Bessie has been rewarding and not as difficult as everyone expected.
In some ways, seniors are easier to care for as Bessie loves napping in her favorite spots around the house. Senior dogs have just as much love to give as younger dogs, maybe even more! Although, I won’t have as much time with Bessie, I know that her golden years will be spent with lots of love and tons of toys for her to squeak.”
Thanks to Sierra, Emma, Rick & Harrison for adopting Bessie! And thanks to all of Bessie’s friends who loved her so much while at our shelter.
