Susan Bias is fundraising
For Gio--Deaf Puppy Mill Survivor
Meet Gio. Short for Giovanni---a name that
means a Gift. He is a 5-6 year old
parti-colored Schnauzer. Gio came to
SFRA in a puppy mill surrender situation.
He is truly a survivor and a gift to us and everyone that meets him. Just a sweet soul in a body that needs some
repair.
As is often the case with a puppy mill survivor, Gio has a long path to go in his emotional and physical rehabilitations before he'll be eligible to go to a forever home. He is not accustomed to human attention and loving"”he's never known anything kind and loving. He is rapidly learning that he is safe with us and we will give him all he needs. At first, he would simply stand on the floor or melt into a heap on the floor when placed there. We are working hard on his emotional rehabilitation and know that it will come with patience, understanding, and most of all-"”love. We have several dedicated SFRA members spending time with him and taking him for walkies and just being a gentle presence for him.
His physical rehabilitation:well, that's where SFRA and Gio need some help. He is prone to allergies and of course these were not treated in the puppy mill. His allergies are so bad that his skin is a mess and we are treating it and hoping for rapid improvement with good food and medications. Then there are his ears----love his little heart. Poor Gio had an ear infection that never ended or had so many one after another that his ears became so inflamed over the years that his ear canals have calcified. The size remaining at his ear opening for sound to travel through is the size of a pin head"”everything is full of horrible gunk and calcified tissue. Basically, Gio is extremely hard of hearing at best and likely deaf. If you rub on the side of his neck, you can feel these ear canals"”they feel like a roll of quarters in his neck, on both sides. He doesn't complain, he is too scared still to want to speak up much"”he just keeps quiet hoping nothing bad will happen to him.
Gio needs a surgery for this condition of his ears or he will only continue to get one painful ear infection after another lifelong. This is a specialized surgery, TECA is the name of the procedure. One that only a board certified veterinary surgeon can perform. We have been quoted a price of $2100-$2800 PER EAR and this needs to be done in two separate procedures due to the intricacy of the surgery and time under anesthesia.
SFRA hopes to raise $5500 to pay for these surgeries to give Gio some much needed relief and to also give him a start to a new life in a new home with loving parents who will always take care of his medical needs. Without the surgeries, Gio will only continue to get one painful ear infection after another and would likely miss out on the chance at a wonderful adoptive home that we would be able to find a healthy Gio.
Once his surgeries are done, he will be in the best position for a new forever home.
But...we cannot accomplish this without your help. Any rescue's largest expense is its vet bills. SFRA has always handled all of its expenses--since our start-up in 1996. Gio's surgery bills are going to be exceptional. Since starting to do rescue in 1996, we have never had an expense or a severe need like this on a rescued dog. We have also always been able to financially provide for all of the needs of all of the dogs we have rescued. This time, we need help. We know it's the Christmas season and that it's a tough time economically speaking, but we are hoping that many of you will see it in your hearts to donate $5, $10, whatever you can so that we can help Gio start his new life free of health problems and only quickly fading memories of the place he came from. We hope to replace those memories with happy ones of playing with balls and snuggles on the couch in front of a fireplace with his new mom and dad. Just think, if only 1100 people donate $5 we would easily reach Gio's needs and be able to set his surgery date. Please consider Gio's plight and help him. SFRA is a 501c3 corporation and your donations are tax deductible.
As is often the case with a puppy mill survivor, Gio has a long path to go in his emotional and physical rehabilitations before he'll be eligible to go to a forever home. He is not accustomed to human attention and loving"”he's never known anything kind and loving. He is rapidly learning that he is safe with us and we will give him all he needs. At first, he would simply stand on the floor or melt into a heap on the floor when placed there. We are working hard on his emotional rehabilitation and know that it will come with patience, understanding, and most of all-"”love. We have several dedicated SFRA members spending time with him and taking him for walkies and just being a gentle presence for him.
His physical rehabilitation:well, that's where SFRA and Gio need some help. He is prone to allergies and of course these were not treated in the puppy mill. His allergies are so bad that his skin is a mess and we are treating it and hoping for rapid improvement with good food and medications. Then there are his ears----love his little heart. Poor Gio had an ear infection that never ended or had so many one after another that his ears became so inflamed over the years that his ear canals have calcified. The size remaining at his ear opening for sound to travel through is the size of a pin head"”everything is full of horrible gunk and calcified tissue. Basically, Gio is extremely hard of hearing at best and likely deaf. If you rub on the side of his neck, you can feel these ear canals"”they feel like a roll of quarters in his neck, on both sides. He doesn't complain, he is too scared still to want to speak up much"”he just keeps quiet hoping nothing bad will happen to him.
Gio needs a surgery for this condition of his ears or he will only continue to get one painful ear infection after another lifelong. This is a specialized surgery, TECA is the name of the procedure. One that only a board certified veterinary surgeon can perform. We have been quoted a price of $2100-$2800 PER EAR and this needs to be done in two separate procedures due to the intricacy of the surgery and time under anesthesia.
SFRA hopes to raise $5500 to pay for these surgeries to give Gio some much needed relief and to also give him a start to a new life in a new home with loving parents who will always take care of his medical needs. Without the surgeries, Gio will only continue to get one painful ear infection after another and would likely miss out on the chance at a wonderful adoptive home that we would be able to find a healthy Gio.
Once his surgeries are done, he will be in the best position for a new forever home.
But...we cannot accomplish this without your help. Any rescue's largest expense is its vet bills. SFRA has always handled all of its expenses--since our start-up in 1996. Gio's surgery bills are going to be exceptional. Since starting to do rescue in 1996, we have never had an expense or a severe need like this on a rescued dog. We have also always been able to financially provide for all of the needs of all of the dogs we have rescued. This time, we need help. We know it's the Christmas season and that it's a tough time economically speaking, but we are hoping that many of you will see it in your hearts to donate $5, $10, whatever you can so that we can help Gio start his new life free of health problems and only quickly fading memories of the place he came from. We hope to replace those memories with happy ones of playing with balls and snuggles on the couch in front of a fireplace with his new mom and dad. Just think, if only 1100 people donate $5 we would easily reach Gio's needs and be able to set his surgery date. Please consider Gio's plight and help him. SFRA is a 501c3 corporation and your donations are tax deductible.
- D
- L
- J
34 supporters
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