A Forever Home Rescue Foundation
Finding forever homes for dogs in need
Debbie’s Story: Going full-circle with Bagle
Bagel came into my life unexpectedly, I was already fostering two dogs for AFH, Buddy
I already knew that Bagel had been tied to a barrel in someone’s front yard along with his kitty friend. Once he came into my home I knew he was smart, and loved playing with the other dogs. I could tell he had not had too much of an opportunity to play because he came out of this shell and I learned what a goof he really was. But I also learned how much be hates rain and also how very afraid of thunderstorms he is. I don’t know how he survived tied to a barrel outside for seven long years. He was extremely thin and sickly, but through help from AFH, Bagel thrived in my care.
After being with me for about six months, a family came forward and fell in love with Bagel. I was extremely happy for them both, but when Bagel left, I realized there was a hole in my heart. The family reached out to me when they needed a sitter, and I was more than happy to do so and relished the time we had together. Then in October 2016, tragedy hit Bagel’s family and I was taking care of him with food, vet bills, and lots of love to help the family out. October became February and the family returned Bagel to the Rescue because they had a lot on their plate. When AFH asked me if I wanted to adopt Bagel I did not hesitate.
Today Bagel is a happy, quirky, and well-loved dog who has developed an enlarged heart. I like to believe because he has so much love to give and to receive. Somehow he has amassed four dog beds in my small apartment and has too many toys to count. He loves my home-made treats that I bake for him, and his favorite is Peanut Butter/Bacon Honey Bites (my name for them after my late dog Honey), and his doggy peanut butter ice-cream. He went on his first vacation this summer, and we went to the Beach in Delaware. He loved the beach and had a lot of human friends by the end of the week. His favorite toy is his teddy bear that has lavender sewn into its heart to help Bagel keep calm with his heart condition. Bagel loves giving me kisses and taking walks with me. I am most thankful that AFH allowed me to foster this sweet boy, and to let him know that humans can be better than he knew for seven years.
Debbie Ewald/Bagel’s MOM
Learn how you can help AFH raise funds to purchase new transport vans to replace the aging ones we’re currently using. Visit our #GivingTuesday page and take action today!
Meadow’s Story
Meet Meadow. She is such a beautiful, happy girl, who is enjoying her warm, caring AFH foster home thoroughly. To see her now, you would never guess how her story began.
Originally Meadow was found wandering and was picked up by a Good Samaritan. She was so emaciated that every bone in her body was showing. She was in terrible shape. Her skin was in an even worse condition, with much of her fur missing, and she was covered with multiple open sores. At first, it was believed that she was a tri-colored hound, but soon it became apparent that someone had painted her sides black. Why would anyone do such a thing?
Despite her painful condition, Meadow was very friendly with everyone. Apparently, nothing could dampen her spirit. She was bathed, fed, and had medical care for her skin. Every day her condition improved, and as you can see, she has completely recovered. Her fur is thick and shiny and she has a joyous spirit. Her resiliency and love can warm any heart. Meadow is the true proof of what love and a dedicated foster can do!!!
Learn how you can help AFH raise funds to purchase new transport vans to replace the aging ones we’re currently using. Visit our #GivingTuesday page and take action today!
Romeo & Juliette – love in the fast lane
Romeo (above) and Juliette (below) came from a very rural part of Virginia. Their people left them to fend for themselves when the family’s trailer burned down. They only came back to collect and sell the pair’s puppies whenever they had a litter. These two sweet pups survived for over a year with only the burned-out shell of a trailer for shelter, and only what little food they could scrounge up on their own .
When their most recent litter was born, the neighbors decided that they couldn’t stand by and watch anymore, so they called AFH for help. It took some convincing, but Romeo and Juliette’s people finally decided to surrender them and their four new puppies to AFH, so they could be adopted into families that were better able to care for them.
AFH brought this fluffy little family into its foster program and immediately took everyone to the vet for testing and vaccines. All four puppies’ bellies were full of worms, but they were otherwise fat and healthy, thanks to their parents’ excellent care. Romeo and Juliette, however, weren’t so lucky; they both tested positive for Heartworm disease (a mosquito-borne disease), Lyme disease, and Ehrlichiosis (both are tick-borne diseases), all a result of living outdoors without appropriate protection.
All four puppies were adopted out to loving homes as soon they were old enough
Learn how you can help AFH raise funds to purchase new transport vans to replace the aging ones we’re currently using. Visit our #GivingTuesday page and take action today!
Frankie’s Story
Teeny, tiny Frankie was just eight weeks old and weighed all of three pounds when he came to AFH. He came from a breeder who had originally sold him. The buyer returned him immediately because Frankie had a heart murmur and the buyer felt that he was defective. When AFH met Frankie for the first time, he was with his breeder at a vet, getting ready to be euthanized. As it turns out Frankie had a life-threatening heart condition called Patent Ductus Arteriosus, or a PDA. PDA is when an extra vessel near the heart doesn’t close after birth, as it should. AFH was able to convince the breeder to surrender him to the rescue.
Because there are so few veterinary surgeons who perform the surgery Frankie needed, and because Frankie was so small, finding a specialist who was willing and capable of successfully performing such a delicate surgery to fix his heart was going to be a challenge. Luckily, there had been another AFH puppy with the same condition, who we treated surgically just a few years before, so our president knew exactly who to call.
AFH immediately made an appointment with that surgeon. After an exam and echocardiogram to verify the diagnosis and to get an idea of the severity of Frankie’s condition, the surgeon agreed to perform the $5,000
On Valentine’s Day, 2018, Frankie, who weighed in just shy of four pounds, underwent the incredibly risky surgery that would fix his broken heart. The surgery was a huge success, and Frankie, who just turned a year old, and is now called Mikey. His fabulous adopters spoil him rotten and take him everywhere with them. They tell us he loves going on adventures to the beach and to the mountains, and that if it weren’t for his scar, you’d never know anything had been wrong with him.
Learn how you can help AFH raise funds to purchase new transport vans to replace the aging ones we’re currently using. Visit our #GivingTuesday page and take action today!
Boots Story
Sweet, mellow Boots became homeless when her family found out they were having a baby. They decided that she was just too big to have around, so they left her at the shelter. This poor girl was in a bad way when she came to AFH; she had two severely unstable and painful knees, was almost entirely lame and was very overweight.
AFH immediately packed her up and drove her down to a veterinary orthopedic surgeon for a consult, and to get her some medication to help her pain. After an exam and x-rays, the surgeon found Boots had not one, but two very severely luxating patellae, or loose kneecaps, that were only made more unstable and painful by her being very overweight and deconditioned. To get her out of pain and increase her stability, Boots underwent two major surgeries, which cost AFH upwards of $7,000.
Boots kept her sweet, calm disposition through both surgeries and recoveries. After months of pain, patience, and lots of TLC from a wonderful AFH foster family and doggy foster brother, Boots found a phenomenal forever family of her own!
Learn how you can help AFH raise funds to purchase new transport vans to replace the aging ones we’re currently using. Visit our #GivingTuesday page and take action today!
Dear A forever home
Me and my family adopted a dog named Jake in September. We have enjoyed having him. He loves to take long walks and he likes to run. He enjoys playing with other dogs at our farm. The first time he met a horse he didn’t know what they were but over the past few weeks, he has learned to like them. He loves riding in the car. We sometimes bring him to school with us. He loves to snuggle with us on the couch. We couldn’t imagine our life without him. Jake is a great dog and is the perfect fit in our family. Thank you to A Forever Home and his foster family for taking great care of him.
From Molly H.
Age 11
Learn how you can help AFH raise funds to purchase new transport vans to replace the aging ones we’re currently using. Visit our #GivingTuesday page and take action today!