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 Heartworm Focus

Did you know Florida is home to 16 different species of mosquitos that host the heartworm parasite? Despite being completely preventable, every year hundreds of dogs test positive for heartworms here in Central Florida. The dogs we rescue from Animal Control are no exception.

The dogs below are currently on heartworm treatment, which involves costly treatment and a month of crate rest. Help us treat these dogs by donating today.

And remember: please keep your pets on heartworm prevention!

 

Lend a Paw, Bark at Your Friends!

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FLDR has a lot of terrific volunteers. Carol Dower,who worked in rescue in Osceola County for decades, is one of them. She was a constant, tireless voice for the animals, when they didn't have one. Her kind heart and soul inspired so many of us, FLDR was blessed to have her on "our team". Carol crossed the bridge in February 2011,joining 1000s of lives she made better at some point. We love you Carol, we miss you, the dogs miss you.

In honor of Carol, we are featuring dogs that would have been "Carol Dogs". Ones she would have saved and worked tirelessly to rehabilitate and place in forever homes, knowing some of them might wind up as permanent fosters.  Most of these dogs have been in our care for quite a while, or we expect them to be in long-term foster care. While in care, FLDR covers all the expenses of these dogs. Please consider opening your heart and making a small donation of $25 to help sponsor the care for these pups.  Simply click the paypal button by the dog of your choice and your donation will be designated for their care, and we will email you with updates on their progress.

Thank you so much for helping us continue her legacy, and honor her memory!

   

Porter's Story 

PLEASE HELP PORTER!  I don't often get truly blood-boiling mad. I get disheartened, heartbroken, frustrated - but angry like Anger from Inside/Out, not too often truly - but over Porter? Well, I am mad. LIVID. Porter was rescued from a shelter that we don't normally pull from, for a variety of reasons. Porter arrived to this shelter limping, noted possibly hit by car, and "aggressive" (well DUH he was in pain!!) and there he sat - for SEVEN days, with a vet on staff, and did not receive one X-ray, and the shelter has an X-ray machine, nor a single dose of pain medication! This poor 5 pound pup had to sit, in pain, for a WEEK. A week. A week on "stray hold" having seen the vet and no relief being given. Imagine sitting a week with a broken knee and not having any meds, not even a tylenol. This poor little guy had to endure the equivalent of that that for NO REASON. And why am I even more MAD? Because if you call this shelter out on their misdeeds, you are labeled as a "troublemaker" and then other dogs don't get saved! So you bite your tongue, much like poor Porter has had to do all week, and move forward. Looking at him this morning as we arrived at the vet though, I'm still mad. I get that the shelters are busy, overcrowded, overwhelmed ~ we are too. However, this little guy had been looked at by a vet, and then ignored. Well, that is over. His name is now Porter, and he is at one of our vet's right now, and we are working to get him an ortho consult and surgery scheduled ASAP, and he got pain meds, which he immediately licked my hand after.....Rescue is NOT easy, and we get that. We expect it, we live it, we breathe it, we sleep it - but it is the unnecessary preventable suffering of a dog under someone's care who could prevent it that is infuriating! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!! OK, angry or not, it is time to move forward with a plan for Porter. If you can lend him a helping paw at all, we are asking you to please do so. We know we are asking for a lot right now, especially at the holidays, but this little guy needs a holiday miracle and hopefully we can give him just that. Thank you.

 

 Countess

Countess is counting on us! Countess, aka Tessa the Tough, is a super special girl. Abandoned at Animal Control after a diagnosis of Spina Bifida, this sweet little girl did NOT want that to be her final destination. Our intake team was contacted and we rushed to get her into rescue, as due to space constraints at severely overcrowded local shelters, owner surrenders can be euthanized the same day, especially if they have medical issues. We immediately took her to our vets... for an assessment, and after x-rays, they agreed with the initial diagnosis of Spina Bifida. She also had a very bad urinary tract infection, and was leaking blood in her urine as a result, and needed immediate meds and a 3 day stay at the vet to get that under control. Tessa's x-rays were then reviewed by AVS, who agreed, and further agreed with our vet that an MRI would be the next step to discover the full capacity of her condition. Spinia Bifida has a wide variance of impacts, and from initial findings, Tessa does appear to have a mild case (some lack of sensation and reflex, a slight stumble to her gait, a little urine leakage, although that may be from her UTI), but we need an MRI to figure out a treatment plan for her going forward, and how we can provide the best care for her. Countess is SUCH a sweet girl - she loves everyone she meets, is learning to give you a high-five, has figured out how to scale the side of her playpen - this little tough one doesn't let her special needs slow her down - she is channeling them to make her even more special! After calling around and sending referrals out, we have found that Tessa's MRI and assessment is going to cost about $2900, and we will need to take her to Tampa for it, as that trip will save about $1000 off the total cost. This little girl has a mighty, mighty spirit, and a long long life ahead of her - please help us get her the diagnostic care she needs so that she can live a long, happy, cherished life! Tessa is one of those pups that as soon as you meet her, you "get it" as to why we couldn't say no, why we want to go "all in" with her, and why she is worth it. We also took in 11 puppers from animal control last week, and we are still recovering from the brutal summer, so any helping paws that can pitch in would be so appreciated!!! You can donate using the link here on our homepage, or the one on FB below our cover pic. We are hoping to raise this ASAP, to have her MRI completed as quickly as we can. Please also like and share Tessa....please help her show that being special needs just makes her more special, and just as "worth it" as every other pup we save. Thank you all so much friends!!

 

 NOW ON OUR "ADOPTABLE DOGS" PAGE!
 ADOPTED!
VALENTINO 

I don't always spend my weekends lounging on a boat.......but when I do, it's with my FOREVER FAMILY!!! Yep, it's me, Valentino, although I am going to go by Dreifus now (it means 3 feet in German), and guess what??!?!?! I HAVE A FOREVER HOME!!! That's right - in just 18 days I have gone from being run over, mutilated, left to die and then thrown away (literally) to living the good life! Well, scratch that - the GREAT life! See, even though some humans treated me pretty badly I knew deep down there were good humans too. Like the peeps at FLDR. I was determined to not let my injuries get the best of me, and continue to be trusting, loving and the giver of lots of sloppy kisses. I must have been pretty charming, because even though I needed a LOT of care (and still need follow up care for a while), I managed to charm Dr. N into letting me go home with him last weekend instead of staying in the hospital. I was on my bestest ever behavior, and showed them just how thankful I was to be in a home, even if it was just for the weekend. It just felt so good. Apparently, they thought I fit in, and decided that I could stay for a while. Then, I got the best news ever ~ Dr. N told FLDR (and then me) that he and his family wanted to adopt me, and give me a real forever home - with my own personal 24/7 vet!!! He knows I'm not quite "medically cleared" yet per the traditional FLDR adoption guidelines, but he asked them if they would consider an exception, just this once, so that I could go home every day, and during the days when my bandages need changing, I get to hang out at the front desk of the hospital and get lots of special attention. If there is ever anyone who doubts that together you all can make MIRACLES happen, please ask them to come see me. Honestly, medically, I shouldn't be here - I am walking, licking proof that miracles happen! I can not thank you all enough for all your donations (yes, I do still have vet bills from before my adoption), prayers and encouraging words. I promise to let you guys know how I am doing, and keep you updated on my adventures. And please be sure to help me pay it forward and help some of the other pups that are coming through FLDR (and a very special cat, who I will introduce you to later today!). Together, you all much such a big difference, and for me? You made ALL the difference!
Much much love, Dreifus

Valentino's Story 

When it rains, it pours...dogs. What we first heard: "Small terrier mix, two broken front legs, one crushed - at Animal Control. Dog was run over by owner, who was then going to "put him down themselves", but neighbor stepped in and took dog to local vet clinic. Vet clinic stabilized dog, then animal control picked up. Per AC: "Dr. says that the right front leg will need to be removed it is crushed. The left front leg may have a fracture in the carpus because there is swelling there and has some abrasions on the leg, but because we don’t have x-ray she is not positive of a fracture. One of the hind legs has an abrasion, but nothing big. Let me know if you are able to take him, he would need to go today if possible. She said he is salvageable!"" The horror we actually found out: his left front leg was not broken, just totally debrided on the paw and infected. Rear leg had abrasions and infection. The front right leg would have to be amputated. There was a bad infection already, and we saw the our most seasoned rescuers had seen - a clean shave to the bone - that you only can get with a saw or similar device - so these people? They must have tried to cut his leg off before they put him out with the trash:( Surgery was touch and go for a bit, because apparently the jerking on his leg during his "injury" moved his veins around, including his jugular. But Valentino pulled through. It took time and love and a LOT of vet expertise, but through all of the ugliness and evilness he experienced, Valentino was still loving and sweet.

DENALI 

Merry Christmas to me!!!! I have learned this year it's great to have a family to love you, and I knew my foster mom and dad loved me so very much, even when I was being a puppy handful and with all my medical issues. But they had said they were just my fosters, and someday I would find a forever family all my own. Well, my mange isn't clearing up super fast, and I'm probably going to have some more leg issues later in my life meaning more surgeries, and I'm kinda gonna need a lot of care, and after how my life started, I wasn't sure anyone would want to deal with my issues forever:( So I made a Christmas wish, and today, it came true!!!! My foster mom and dad told me that they will be my PERMANENT foster parents!! FLDR will continue to take care of my medical needs, and I get to stay here forever as a permanent resident!! I pawmised my mom and dad I will be the best boy ever (or, well, as good as I know how to be!) and they said they will love me no matter what! How pawsome is that?? My Christmas wish could never have come true if all my wonderful friends and fans didn't lend me a helping paw, so thank you all so much. I think I got the best Christmas gift out there, but I hope each and everyone of you had a day just as pawsome as mine, filled with love and joy:)

Denali's Story 

In September, we got notice of sweet Denali. He had bite wounds that were severely infected, with fragile and broken bones in both his front and back leg. We knew we had to do surgery to help him. Drilling into them for pins and plates was a much riskier surgery, with odds that were equal in success to just the pins at the time. Sadly, the odds did not work in Denali's favor this time.  He had to have another surgery. The infection from all of the bite wounds in his front leg worsened, and the antibiotics were no longer holding it off. So the decision was made to amputate that leg. The odds were mediocre, only about 50% that he would make it through surgery, and then if he did, about 50% that this would work and save the rear leg, but we firmly and strongly believed he was worth every single fraction of 50%. And you know what? It was worth it!!! Denali pulled through, and went on to be one of our star pups, a perfect example of why we do what we do!

    Florida Little Dog Rescue Group

    A 501(c)3 Charitable Organization

    Serving the Central Florida Area

    PO Box 702364
    St. Cloud, FL 34770
    Phone: 407-279-1127
    E-mail: littledogrescue@gmail.com
    Please note, we are not a shelter. We do not have a kennel or facility that you can visit and see all the dogs. Each dog is fostered in an individual home. We do rescue out of our private homes and in our spare time. So, you cannot come visit our dogs until you have gone through the application and interview process and we have contacted you about scheduling a visit.  We do not have set "hours" and we answer all calls and emails as quickly as we can!
    A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-HELP-FLA OR ONLINE AT www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com, REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.  REGISTRATION #: CH36615
    Copyright © 2009-2024 Florida Little Dog Rescue Group. All Rights Reserved.