On January 8, 2014, Pets Alive Puerto Rico rescued the dog you see in these photos. Many times since then we wanted to share his story, but the words just would not come – until now. For the past 8 weeks, we’ve been watching a miracle unfold, and it is finally time to talk about the dog we named Phoenix…
THE PHOENIX RISES
If you are from Arecibo, you might know this dog – the locals called him “Rocky”. By all accounts, he was once someone’s pet – owned by somebody in the neighborhood who turned him out onto the streets.
For the past couple of years, Rocky was a regular at a busy gas station in Arecibo. With his good looks, gentle nature and a very sweet personality, Rocky was a charmer. People stopped by to pet him, and many people fed him and brought him treats. Rocky had a pretty good life for a street dog.
But when Rocky’s front leg was broken a few months ago, no one seemed to take any notice, even though he could no longer bend it or bear weight on it. At or around the same time, Rocky also suffered a painful injury to his hindquarters. The extreme pain of the combined injuries made it very difficult for him to walk and get around. Soon Rocky’s health and appearance began to deteriorate – in full view of the entire neighborhood and in full view of hundreds of people who buy gas every week at that busy station. Once handsome and robust, he grew skinnier and weaker, and when he lost much of his fur to mange, people began to shun him. Yes, it’s true… at the time Rocky needed their compassion most, an entire community turned away from him and closed their eyes to his suffering. Until finally, when Rocky was very near death, a woman who was new to the neighborhood saw him and called the authorities asking for help, and they in turn called Pets Alive Puerto Rico, and we set out to help this dog.
Those of you who follow us on Facebook know that we’ve rescued many dogs in very bad condition, but nothing in our previous experience prepared us for what we saw when we arrived. Rocky’s lifeless body was lying on the ground. Someone had put a leash on him in anticipation of our arrival so he wouldn’t wander off, but it was completely unnecessary – he was too weak even to get himself out of the tropical midday sun. As we bent to examine him he didn’t open his eyes – we thought for sure he was already dead – but he wasn’t, not yet. As we rushed him to the hospital, we prayed that it was not too late to save him.
The dog they called Rocky spent five weeks in the hospital fighting for his life while Dr. Luis T. Ramos and his staff of angels at Hospital Veterinario San Francisco de Asis in Hatillo tended to him lovingly. Rocky was treated for malnutrition, parasites, mange, and Ehrlichiosis (a ticke-borne disease) . Sadly, the injury to his front leg was too old and too severe to make saving the leg a possibility, so it was amputated to free him from the excruciating pain. As you can see from the photos that follow, he is healing beautifully from that surgery!
Rocky emerged from the hospital a new dog, and we gave him a fitting, new name – the dog they once called “Rocky” is now known as “Phoenix”, and just like the mythical bird, our Phoenix has risen from the flames of his old life – he is reborn and renewed, and his new life is just beginning!
Phoenix is adapting to life with three legs, but he still has one more hurdle to get over. He is suffering from a severe hip luxation,which is making it very painful for him to bear weight on his left rear leg. Phoenix will undergo the surgery (called FHO) just as soon as he is a little stronger. After the FHO surgery, it is expected that Phoenix will walk and run PAIN FREE on 3 good legs!
In the meantime, the sparkle in his eyes and the smile on his face reveal no hint of the misery that Phoenix endured in his past life. His transformation has been a miracle, and it is not over yet – we expect that by mid-April this adorable, handsome, and VERY charming gentleman will be ready to fly to Pets Alive in NY for adoption, and then he will really start living the life he has ALWAYS deserved! We can’t wait. XO
PETS ALIVE NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT NOW MORE THAN EVER!
We’ve seen a lot of miracles take place at Pets Alive Puerto Rico, but the volunteers and staff here are NOT miracle workers. We can’t do anything without the love and support of people who believe as we do that every life is precious, and that dogs like Phoenix – who need extraordinary medical care – ARE worth saving. If you believe this too, and if you believe in the work that Pets Alive is doing in Puerto Rico, we are asking for your help.
PLEASE CONSIDER A DONATION TODAY
TO HELP US CONTINUE THE VERY IMPORTANT WORK OF SAVING LIVES.
THE CRITICAL CARE FUND – BECAUSE EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS! Your gift in any amount to will make it possible to continue to help dogs like Phoenix who need extra medical care. No amount is too small to make a difference.
Thankfully for Phoenix, someone finally picked up the phone and made a call that saved his life. But the sad fact is, that call won’t always be answered. With an estimated 100,000 or more unwanted stray dogs on the street, it just isn’t possible for Pets Alive to rescue every dog in need. We help as many dogs as possible whenever possible – but with so many in need, we are often out of space, short on volunteers and short on the funds needed to give these dogs the care they need and deserve. But with your help, they CAN all be saved, and together we CAN put an end to the suffering of street dogs and the killing of healthy, adoptable animals in the shelters of Puerto Rico.
HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
“ADOPT” ONE STREET DOG. You don’t need to actually take the dog into your home – you can care for the dog on the street. Put a collar and ID Tag on “your” dog to prevent the dog from being picked up by the authorities. Make sure “your” street dog is spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Feed “your” dog regularly. If “your” dog is injured or becomes ill, care for the dog to the best of your ability, just as you would do for a pet living in your home. If EVERY animal lover cared for just ONE street dog in this way, the problem would be solved!
ADOPT A DOG FROM YOUR LOCAL SHELTER instead of buying a purebred dog. Villa Michelle in Mayaguez (www.villamichelle.org) is a high-kill shelter that is making amazing efforts to increase adoptions and reduce the killing of healthy adoptable animals – but they cannot do it without you, so please visit them when you are ready to find your next new furry family member. Don’t buy a dog or cat while wonderful and amazing dogs and cats suffer and die in shelters.
SPAY/NEUTER YOUR OWN DOGS. It is the single most important thing YOU can do to help solve the problem of unwanted dogs on the street. And not just the female dogs! If your male dogs are not neutered, YOU are directly responsible for adding to the population of unwanted dogs on the street.
SPAY/NEUTER A STRAY DOG. One unspayed/unneutered dog and its offspring can produce THOUSANDS of unwanted dogs. By spaying/neutering just one stray, you prevent the suffering of countless dogs – and you prevent them from producing unwanted puppies in your neighborhood.
ENCOURAGE YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO SPAY/NEUTER THEIR DOGS, and if it is within your means, please consider helping them if they are not able to afford it or if they need help getting to the veterinarian.
TALK OPENLY ABOUT YOUR LOVE FOR ANIMALS, let everyone know that you care about the strays you see on the street and that you are helping them. Encourage others to join you. Animal lovers are the MAJORITY in Puerto Rico, so please don’t be silent – YOU are their voice.
MAKE A FINANCIAL DONATION to help PAPR continue to help animals. If everyone donated just a small amount each month, it would make a big difference. Please consider helping the animals this way.
IF YOU CAN’T DONATE, YOU CAN STILL HELP! Hold a car wash, a dog wash, or a bake sale. At your next birthday party, ask for gifts for the dogs instead of gifts for yourself. Organize a food, toy and supply drive at your school or place of business, and invite PAPR to come and talk about our work – we’ll even bring along one of the dogs you are helping to save! Put your imagination to work, the list of ways to help is endless.
PROVIDE TEMPORARY FOSTER CARE for dogs in need. Pets Alive Puerto Rico is always looking for experienced foster homes that are willing and able to provide a safe and nurturing environment until we are able to take the dog into the sanctuary. (email volunteer@petsalivepr.org to offer your services)
VOLUNTEER at your local shelter once a week or once a month – the staff and the animals need you!
TOGETHER WE ARE CHANGING THE WORLD FOR THE DOGS OF PUERTO RICO
PLEASE DONATE TO THE CRITICAL CARE FUND – BECAUSE EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS! Your gift in any amount to will make it possible to continue to help dogs like Phoenix who need extra medical care. No amount is too small to make a difference.
OR
SPONSOR THE SPAY/NEUTER OF A STRAY DOG. Your gift of $75 will provide a street dog with spay/neuter, 2 vaccinations, medication for internal parasites, common skin ailments and flea/tick preventative, plus a collar & ID Tag .
To learn more about Pets Alive Puerto Rico:
“Like” us on Facebook www.facebook.com/petsalivepuertorico
“Follow” us on Twitter www.twitter.com/petsalivepr
Visit our web page: www.petsalivepr.org
Contact us via email at info@petsalivepr.org
Call us at 787-228-9639