Happy Gotcha Day Stella!
MEET STELLA. This sweet petite baby is Stella. Stella just came from the shelter and unfortunately has come down with kennel cough. As if that’s not enough, she is also heartworm positive and we just discovered that her left hip has an old injury and is completely dislocated! Stella now finds herself in need of surgery (FHO) so that she can walk pain free and will need to undergo treatment for her kennel cough and heartworms. This precious girl is only about 3-4 years old and is already going through so much, yet she is still the kindest soul and has taken everything in stride. She doesn’t like to show she’s in pain and even tries to still chase after a ball, then give kisses when she’s done playing!!
Stella’s surgery is around $1000 and heartworm treatment will be about another $1000. She doesn’t deserve the hardship she’s already had in life, and we would love to help make the rest of Stella’s life as comfortable and happy as possible, but we need your help. Covid has hit us hard as a small rescue, and we would be eternally grateful for any all possible contributions to help Stella get to feeling better. If you can donate to her care, please click on the button in this post or go to https://labradorfriends.com/do
Foster update 3/14/21: Stella here! My first week at Foster’s home has been a lot of fun! I have SO many tennis balls and I love showing them to everyone when they get home. I think I have been a very good girl because I have learned how to (most of the time) sit near the door to wait to go outside while Foster puts on my leash. I really like exploring the house with my nose, although I’m not very good at finding hidden toys – still working on that. I also really like exploring outside. Right now we do short walks around the neighborhood (because I’m still in treatment for heartworms) and I’m getting better at not pulling on my leash. When we walk in new areas I get really excited! My favorite thing to smell are the trees. There are a couple big bumble bees that make me nervous – they fly so fast! I really like spending the days napping in my crate, I’ve got a fluffy bed and like to bring a tennis ball with me. I also like to look out the window and watch people and other dogs walk around. I have made a couple doggie friends in this neighborhood, my favorite so far is a small chihuahua named Prince, he was very nice. Overall, my favorite thing to do is get pets. Foster gives my lots and lots of pets. Sometimes Foster sits on the ground and then I like to sit on her lap and get back rubs – I think I’m the perfect lap dog size! Here are some pictures Foster has taken of me over the last several days. I think I’m a super photogenic girl, no bad angles here!
UPDATE 3/10/21: Just wanted to give you a quick update. Stella is doing amazing! She seems to be settling in quite well and LOVES her tennis balls – she likes to carry them around the apartment with her. She is eating well and getting around beautifully. We’re working on the leash training so hopefully she’ll learn how to walk on the leash soon.
UPDATE 3/8/21: Stella has been doing fantastic since her FHO surgery and is using her leg great! She is now working on building back the muscle strength in that leg and is acting as if nothing ever happened! Stella does still have to take it easy due to her heartworms, but she completed the first stage of treatment and is doing great. Stella is a lovely, friendly, sweet girl who will make a lucky someone very happy. She’s always smiling! She appears to get along with other dogs when no food is present (she can be food protective). Stella has a higher prey drive and wants to chase squirrels and small animals, and she did try to chase a cat on a walk with a volunteer, so a home without cats would be ideal. Stella knows some basic commands and is working on walking on the leash without pulling. She appears kennel trained and rides great in the car. Stella went to her foster home today so stay tuned for updates as she settles in!
UPDATE 2/23/21: Stella’s incision from surgery is all healed up and she was able to have her stitches removed a couple days ago. She is using the leg more and more each day and has blown us away with her recovery so far. Stella is ready to move to a foster (or forever) home with a family that is willing to continued controlled exercise to help her continue to build back the muscle in her left hind leg. She needs to stay pretty low key until the end of her heartworm treatment, but she is doing great so far with the first stage.
Stella is a sweet girl with a happy-go-lucky personality. She has been friendly with all people she’s met so far, including a couple small humans for a short period of time. She has shown us that she is a more dominant dog and would do best either with a more submissive companion or as an only dog. She has shown us that she is protective over food and should be fed separately than other dogs. We do not know how Stella is with cats.
Stella is kennel trained and knows how to sit on command. She is working on learning not to pull on the leash, but she has already gotten a little better. Stella rides well in the car and would be a great copilot for someone.
STELLA NEEDS A FOSTER HOME!! To foster, go to labradorfriends.com/how-to-fos
