Almost every dog is scared of fireworks. New Year’s Eve can be a fun time of the year for humans, but not so much for our canine companions. But if we think ahead for them, they won’t have to be running around nervously and frantically trying to find a place to hide and feel safe.
Now this family ensured their dog is soothed and relaxed all throughout the holiday. This 6-year-old Golden Retriever dog named Joey is scared of fireworks. So to help him relax, his family had him wear headphones and watch videos on an iPad.
Joey’s human, a woman named Emily, posted a short video of him on Twitter while he’s wearing headphones and watching videos, and everyone melted for him. Check out the video below!
Tragedy struck an Ohio family twice. Just over a year ago, Andrew Allen was hit by a car while crossing the road. This happened just days after his 2-year-old brother lost his battle with brain cancer. The circumstances were unimaginable. As Andrew laid in the hospital in a coma and dependent upon life support, his family prepared to say their goodbyes.
Surviving And Thriving
The odds were stacked against Andrew. He was hit by multiple cars and suffered a traumatic brain injury, damage to his internal organs, compound fractures in both legs, and a fractured shoulder blade. He became stable but then he eventually regressed and required emergency brain surgery. And yet, he beat the odds.
If you didn’t know about his accident, you may not even notice any deficit when speaking to Andrew. He has some short term memory problems and he sometimes needs a little more time to think before answering a question. Doctors didn’t think he would walk again but he proved them wrong. Not only did he prove them wrong by walking again, but he recently ran a 5K and completed an 11-week fire and EMS academy! One thing he is certainly excellent at is smiling. Andrew’s smile has gotten even bigger with the newest addition to his family.
Good Things Come In Small Packages (And With Three Legs)
The Allens had talked about finding a puppy for Andrew, so Andrew’s dad had gone to the shelter to take a peek around. The shelter was closed when he got there. But, as he was walking back to his car, a voice called out, asking him if he needed help. It was Denise Johnson, the Senior Operations Manager of the SPCA Cincinnati.
“We started discussing puppies, and he told me he was Mr. Allen from the Allen family. And then the tears flowed,” Denise Johnson told wcpo.com.
She knew she had the perfect match for Andrew.
In the shelter sat a three-legged puppy named Harland. Harland had been left inside a garbage bag that was zip-tied shut and dumped on the side of the road. He was left to die. But, just like his new best friend, Harland beat the odds.
“Today Harland is alive and enjoying every moment to the fullest. He still has some serious injuries that will ultimately cost him his front right leg,” Andrew’s dad, Todd, posted to Facebook. “In the coming weeks when his rear leg fracture is fully healed he will undergo the amputation surgery of the front right leg.”
The two instantly built an unbreakable bond, fortified by their resiliency and second chances at life.
“These two unstoppable survivors have in each other a common bond in their past. It’s an unfortunate and sad connection. But as we’ve all seen so many times before it’s often the broken among us that end up inspiring us the most,” said Todd.
About 12 years ago, Claire-Louise Nixon rescued her very first special needs dog that was in danger of being let go without rescue intervention. Though caring for this handicapped puppy was an experience like no other, this Milton Keynes resident had no idea that the love and dedication to this one pup would open the door to a long future in animal rescue.
After the rescue of her first special needs resident, a tiny Cocker Spaniel named Thomas Cook with a cleft palate, Claire-Louise was officially initiated into the animal rescue lifestyle. Caring for the helpless Cocker puppy ignited a passion inside Nixon that she had never experienced before, and she knew she had to continue this work for the sake of animals. It was then that she decided to make it her mission to rescue as many handicapped, or otherwise “different” pups that crossed her path.
Once word spread of the incredible efforts of the dedicated dog rescuer in Milton Keynes, the Nixon brood continued to grow. Fast forward to 2019, and Claire-Louise has opened her home to 27 rescues from all around the world.
Some of her daily tasks include medicating the rescues in her home, giving paralyzed pups daily baths to keep them clean and free of infection, and constantly keeping up with the cleaning in a house that holds 27 dogs. Caring for the dogs in her care is an around the clock job.
Though her job can be quite tedious, she explains that the wonderful rescues in her home make everything worth it. There is Sherlock Holmes, who was shot by a security guard. There is Freddie Mercury, the previously paralyzed pup who has since gained his strength to walk. There is Patrick Swayze, a lovable canine with a disorder that causes him to twitch.
In addition to these extraordinary pooches listed above are dogs who have been injured from living in war-torn areas, dogs who have been in automobile accidents, and some with severe spinal injuries. There seems to be no limit to the dogs that Claire-Louise is willing to rescue, but one thing is certain; she will stop at nothing to save a dog in need!
Though some of the dogs in her care will struggle for the rest of their lives, she takes a particular interest in helping paralyzed pups gain back some of their abilities. With success helping some of her previously down rescues gain strength and walk again, she knows that nothing is impossible!
“When I get these dogs who are in such a bad way, the vet would say: ‘Claire, you won’t get them walking again’, But now they say nothing is impossible! They say we work miracles with them! I think all they need is love, kindness and patience. When they walk into my house they see other dogs like them so they don’t feel any different, that’s why I think they do so well here. If you give them a reason to walk again then they will.” – Claire-Louise
Claire-Louise has an incredible support system with her animal loving husband and daughter, and is able to support these incredible pups with the donations to her organization called Wheels to Paws UK. We are so grateful for dedicated animal lovers like them, and send all of our love and support for their future efforts.
If you would like to support the continued efforts of Wheels to Paws UK, you can contact Claire-Louise through the rescues Facebook page.
San Francisco resident Emilie Talermo would do absolutely anything for her beloved Australian Shepherd Jackson. Since he was taken from her, that’s all she’s been doing. The pup was stolen from outside a grocery store in Bernal Heights neighborhood in San Francisco on December 14th.
Talermo first adopted her best friend in New York. They’ve been together over 5 years and crossed the country together. For weeks now the two have been apart, and she has no idea where he is or who he’s with. It’s the worst feeling imaginable.
A GoFundMe page describes what security cameras captured of the theft.
“He was taken by someone who looks unassuming (not homeless). The man took a photo of him, pet him, sat next to him and then untied him from the bench and walked off with him.”
The website www.bringjacksonhome.com seeks assistance from the San Fransisco and Oakland communities to return the dog to his rightful parent.
“If you recently purchased a dog from a private party, please contact your nearest vet or animal control to have him scanned (Jackson is microchipped). Maybe the one you purchased is Jackson! Or maybe it’s someone else’s! Good to get awareness around this.”
Heartbreakingly, Talermo has been posting updates and images of Jackson on her personal Instagram page since he’s been missing. She really just wants him back home with her!
Talermo does not intend to punish the person who took Jackson. She won’t ask any questions of whoever returns her best friend to her and has no plans to involve police. In theory, whoever has him now has absolutely no clue he was taken.
Community members have pitched in with donations on the GoFundMe page so Talermo can offer a reward to the person who finds or returns Jackson. There have been search parties throughout the city. Talermo made a Tinder account for Jackson.She even hired a $1,200 airplane to fly a banner with the search website address on it for two hours over San Francisco and Oakland.
Nearly in tears, Talermo told Fox how much she misses her pup.”
“He’s always with me. It’s a very real love. I just need help finding him.”
All we can hope is this heartbroken mom’s tireless efforts will be rewarded.
“Our hope is to bring Jackson back, but it is also a callout to community to be cautious with your dog. Christmas is just around the corner and the thought of a little kid getting gifted this handsome dog for Christmas makes my heart hurt—for me, my dog, and the kid (if we were to find him and have to take him back).”
As of this post, Jackson still has yet to be found. Anyone in the San Francisco area is encouraged to keep their eyes out for an Australian Shepherd with two blue eyes who responds to Jackson. You can also help by re-sharing the flyer and website information. If you do adopt a dog that looks like Jackson, make sure to have his chip scanned!
H/T: Fox11 Featured Image: @emilie.talermo/Instagram
Davina Liberty and Sarah Grimes were shocked when they found an animal in need. They came across a dog limping when they were horseback riding in the Jackson State Forest in California. He appeared to be in really rough shape, but that wasn’t the most noticeable part. The poor dog was wearing a medical cone on his head and he had lots of wounds. So, Liberty knew that she had to do something to save this sweet pup.
The dog was clearly very scared. He was hesitant whenever people approached him, but Liberty refused to let that stop her. She carefully walked over to him and gently pet him. He showed no signs of aggression. In fact, he seemed to enjoy the affection. He was clearly just a loving dog that had somehow ended up in a horrible situation.
Right away, Liberty called for help. She could tell that the dog was in grave condition, so he needed to get proper medical attention as soon as possible.
This sweet dog received the name ‘Thunder the Wonder Dog: the Cone Dog from the Woods’. Madison Wade from ABC10 explained that his name is so long because his journey is even longer.
The Mendocino Coast Humane Society took Thunder in. Their medical team was able to look at his wounds and injuries more closely. They soon discovered that his condition was more serious than they thought.
The cone had been on his head so long that it was digging into his skin, so,it had to be surgically removed. In addition to that surgery, Thunder also had multiple wounds likely from wild animals.
Thunder has slowly started to recover since he was found. He is a sweet 7-year-old dog that just needed some love. It will take a long time for him to fully recover, but there are plenty of loving people that have helped him so far.
Is Thunder Adoptable?
When Thunder arrived at the humane society, they discovered that he had a microchip. However, the information in that microchip hadn’t been updated since 2015. It said that he was from Nevada, so he had traveled about 300 miles!
Law enforcement was able to locate Thunder’s family. Since then, the family signed paperwork releasing Thunder into the humane society’s custody. Animal control is still investigating the situation, so they can’t give out much information on his past.
Even though Thunder is in need of a forever family, he’s not ready to be adopted just yet. He has a lot of healing left to do, so he won’t be adoptable until he fully recovers.
Many people have expressed interest in adopting Thunder, but the humane society thinks it will take him a long time to heal. They encourage everyone that is interested in him to go out and adopt another dog in need. Only one family will be able to adopt him, but there are plenty of other dogs out there waiting for a forever family.
“If you have room in your heart and home for Thunder, you have room for another dog in need,” said Liberty.
So far, over $10,000 has been donated to help with Thunder’s needs. Everyone involved is very moved by the generosity of those supporting him. They even created a Facebook page for Thunder to keep everyone updated on his progress. He’s very lucky to have so many people cheering him on!
For years, the community has worked hard to raise money to help veterans get service dogs. The cost of a service dog is expensive, so many people in need cannot afford to have one by their side. Currently, Veterans Affairs supports veterans that need a service dog for mobility issues, but they don’t cover costs for those with mental health problems. However, a new potential bill could change this completely.
This new bill is called the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act of 2019, or the PAWS Act for short. This act is currently being looked at more closely, and there are many people supporting it.
Rep. John Rutherford from Florida and Sen. Deb Fischer from Nebraska created this bill. Their goal is to make service dogs accessible for more veterans, especially for those with mental health problems such as PTSD.
Sadly, the suicide rates for veterans with PTSD is very high. Around 20 veterans commit suicide each day. Also, around 30% of veterans from Vietnam experience PTSD. Sadly, the percentages of veterans from other wars are just as high.
A service dog could greatly help some of these veterans, but the price is just too much. Service dogs trained to help with PTSD start at around $5,000, but many are even more expensive.
“Veterans with PTSD may have left the battlefield, but they are still in a tough fight,” Fischer said. “Service dogs can provide support, peace, and joy to these Americans as they confront the invisible scars of war.”
Of course, dogs cannot fully cure a mental illness, but they can make a huge difference in a person’s life. They have proven to have a positive effect on the veterans they help. So, the more veterans that can have a service dog by their side, the better.
Supporting the New Bill
Luckily, there are many advocates for the PAWS Act. They will all continue to push for it to make sure it gets passed as soon as possible.
“People are always asking me what is it the dogs actually do,” said Rory Diamond, the CEO of K9s for Warriors. “The genius of the dog, or the magic, is it gets the warrior out the front door. You have a reason to get up in the morning because the dog needs to be fed and walked.”
Unfortunately, the VA has not taken a stance on the PAWS Act just yet. So, it’s important to share information about it with the world. Veterans deserve to have their own service dogs when they need it. If supporters keep pushing for this bill, then hopefully it will be passed very soon!
