Bear's story.

Dear DDBS Rescue:

Hi! My name is Bear (formerly known as Hooch) and my mom rescued me from the bad people down the street. I would see my now Boxer brother and sister, Coty & Sierra, walking by everyday, but no one knew that I had been left out all the time with no food, water or shelter. Until one day when my dad and mom were at a picnic across the street decided to bring me some puppy treats. Thats when they saw how delirious, emaciated, and bloodied from all the flies eating my ears I was. They called the police and a local shelter employee, who agreed if I wasn't removed right then I probably would not survive another day. I was taken down to the shelter for about two months while we waited to go to trial. It was hard but my family came almost everyday and brought me treats and bones and took me for walks. My mom was afraid to testify against the man because he had weapons, drug, and domestic violence charges against him already, and knew that he was really mad about being arrested and charged with animal cruelty, but she turned that fear into anger and showed up at court as my voice. The bad man pleaded to a lesser charge, got fined and had to relinquish all rights to me. Thankfully my mom did not have to testify because she had a three year old boy and a six month old little girl she worried about. My mom knew she had to adopt me even though I had been abused and it would be hard with small children and two dogs already, but she feared someone else might leave me out to be the guard dog to. So two days after court when the shelter neutered me, I was ready for adoption. My family was there first thing in the morning with my new collar, leash, and license. They took me immediately to their vet to be checked over and it appeared that the incision from my surgery was questionable. It started to drip blood and I saw my vet over the holiday weekend everyday to see if it would heal or not. I was scheduled first thing after Labor Day to re-stitch the incision. I was still on antibiotics from the shelter for what they believed was a staph infection and had a drain tube from my new surgery. My mom cared for me round the clock but it was so hard not being able to play with the Boxers! I healed very well and the drain was removed a week later. I adjusted well into my new family, quite frankly they spoiled me. I loved every minute. I did suffer from time to time from staph infections, scrapings did not show anything different, until last year my hair started to fall out to. We were sent to Dr. G. who is a specialist about an hour away. It took a couple appointments, medicines, scrapings and bloodwork to determine that I had Hypothyroidism and Demodex mange. Again my mom cared for me round the clock with antibiotics, Soloxine, and Ivermectin. It took six months of treatment but now I am a beautiful boy again. It has been almost two years now since my family adopted me, and even though its been hard at times with my health, my mom won't give up on me, I've been through hell and back, and to all of you who have been rescued or need to be, stay strong, because I'm sure you will find a family someday like mine. They say I am a "gift from God" and love me more than words can say, everyone deserves a little Heaven on Earth.

Lots of Love,

Bear