By Cee Archer. Most of us love puppies. And most of us see a dog in our picture perfect family image.
Meet Rufus.
Rufus is a gorgeous dog, a young dog with trusting eyes and a hopeful smile.
We don’t know what Rufus’ early story was, he must have been a super cute little pup, he must have caught someone’s eye and he was taken home with someone.
Did Rufus land in a picture perfect family? It does not appear that he did.
First thing we know about Rufus is that he and a female dog were advertised on Craigslist as a “free to a good home pair of dogs” and the kind souls who answered that ad and were interested in the female could not leave him behind. He was skinny, muddy and was desperately in need of an angel.
The kind souls tried to find him a safe haven and ended up through referrals connecting with Turtle Gardens. Yvette opened up her door so that Rufus could get his chance at a forever loving home
Rufus was picked up by Paula, Turtle Gardens foster coordinator/angel extraordinaire. Paula fostered Rufus till the next dog run so he could be taken to Turtle Gardens in Topley, BC to the loving hands of Yvette and Stan.
As Rufus appeared to have problems with his legs, Paula took Rufus for Xrays at Hemlock Animal Hospital and the news is devastating: . Rufus has severely blown both back cruciates. He needs specialized surgery done by a specialist – TPLO surgery – pins and plates to stabilize the joints. Only one leg can be done at a time. The second will be done 4 to 6 weeks after the first. The total estimated cost $6000.
So now Turtle Gardens is faced with an impossible dilemma: where to get the six thousand dollars to cover this surgery so that Rufus can finally experience what every kind canine soul deserves. Turtle Gardens is prepared and willing to see Rufus through the recovery but they need help with the cost of surgery.
There is no way that they can come up with this money on their own. There is no way we can fundraise with this short notice. There is no way Rufus can have his surgery postponed or not done.
Turtle Gardens can decide to have Rufus put down. If the funds can’t be raised, this might be what has to happen. But when Yvette put the question to us volunteers as to what was the right thing to do, our hearts cried.
I know there is a lot of pain and wrong in this world. There is a lot out there we can’t fix. But this dog, this gorgeous creature with those loving eyes and that hopeful face, even after all he’s been through, is still trusting that maybe this is his lucky break, he deserves for us to pull out all the stops.
I don’t want to let him down. I don’t want us to break his final trust. If this dog can still trust after all he’s been through, then I believe I can ask you, the reader, to go to the link provided here and send a donation towards his surgery.
Rufus deserves to have this chance, once the surgery is behind him, and he has recovered in Topley, there certainly is a forever loving home for this gentle soul out there. There is a couch and a sun beam and toys and maybe even a little girl or boy …
This can not be the end of the story. Please don’t let it be.
Here is a link to a short video of Rufus at his foster home.
From Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue: The Rufus Fund Is slowly growing. The first two donations were on regular Canadahelps for $725. The Giving Page is up to $1100. The Bosley Event yesterday brought in another $300 – Doing the math gives Rufus “drumroll please………” $2125 !! Dr. Harry has reduced the fee (he is not taking any funds for his share of the surgery) $1000 and the new fee includes the taxes. So for Rufus’ first leg surgery – we need another $375!! Thank you so very very much for supporting Rufus in having life giving surgery. We are so very very close. Then we need to fund the other leg! But it is so doable – your kindness for this neglected back yard dog is amazing. Thank you so much for your compassion and showing BC that We Care for our animals. Soon he will be able to sit just like any normal dog.