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Tenacious dog getting plenty of care
Staff at the RAPS City of Richmond Animal Shelter couldn’t believe it when nobody came to claim Rider, a three-and-a-half-year old black lab cross.
Staff at the RAPS City of
Richmond Animal Shelter couldn’t believe it when nobody came to claim Rider, a
three-and-a-half-year old black lab cross.
“It was shocking to us because he
is so great with people, really outgoing, really friendly,” said Shena Novotny,
assistant manager of the RAPS Animal Shelter.
When he came in as a stray, in
December, Rider wasn’t in the greatest condition.
“His whole body was pretty
itchy,” Novotny said. “On his hind left foot he had a large lump that was
oozing, it was cracked, it looked very uncomfortable. His ears had a lot of
dirt and grease build-up that seemed to be causing him a little discomfort.”
The Shelter always makes sure
animals are in top physical health before placing them up for adoption. Rider
should have been in a loving forever home by now, but it’s been one thing after
another with him. He had a lumpectomy in January and he proved incredibly
persistent and devious at getting at the wound.
“He just kept going at it, scratching
at it,” said Novotny. “The poor boy has been in a cone pretty much since that
point because we have to wait for that to heal.”
Somehow, he always seems to get
his mouth down to the leg—even sometimes while wearing two cones—or else
rubbing it against some other surface.
Rider had a skin graft to try to
heal the wound, and he underwent successive “dives” of hyperbaric therapy at
the RAPS Animal Hospital, which has Canada’s only hyperbaric oxygen therapy
facility. Hyperbaric oxygen is a non-invasive treatment that helps heal
injuries much more quickly by immersing patients in an environment of 100 per
cent oxygen. It has been very useful and beneficial for Rider’s healing. Still,
every time his leg healed and staff took the cone off, he’d go at it again and
be back where he started.
“We are so lucky to have the RAPS
Animal Hospital because they’ve been doing such an amazing job taking care of
him,” she said.
In fact, recently he’s been at
the hospital almost full-time so he can be under constant surveillance.
“They make sure he gets out for
his walks and gets all the love and attention,” Novotny said. “They all love
him because he’s such a sweet boy.”
The veterinarians at the hospital
are very confident that Rider will soon get to the point where he’s ready for a
forever home—and Novotny said it will be a lucky family that gets to adopt him.
“He likes to be the centre of
attention. He wants to be the one that receives all the love. He loves kids and
would do great in a household with kids. If the adults were active, he would be
great with that.”
Before all the leg troubles,
Rider loved going on five-kilometre walks with a volunteer. When he first
arrived, Rider was a little overweight and now he’s at his optimal weight.
“He’s trimmed down, his skin is
looking great and his coat is looking luscious, so that’s great,” said Novotny.
“He loves, loves, loves people—but he’s a little bit reactive with dogs.”
Rider is not available for
adoption yet. We’ll post on our website when he is. A home where he is the only
animal will be best for him, she said.
Every animal is special and no
two are alike. However, Rider’s story is somewhat typical of the happy endings
we see at RAPS. Every animal is given the individualized care and attention
they need.
Pat Johnson is communications
director of the Regional Animal Protection Society.