Before & After

Ellen

On July 13th, TAF went and picked up a clump of pungent urine soaked matted fur from an open access shelter… we couldn’t even figure out if the dog was a male or female. When we first saw this dog in it’s cage, we didn’t know which end was front or back. We had to get a treat to see which end lifted up to sniff.

Flies and gnats swarmed around the pup and what appeared to be the dog’s back legs dragged on the floor and left a watery trail… just like a snail. As it turned out, the dog had two very petite legs hidden underneath all the knotted fur and the outer appendages were just matted fur and debris. (If you look at left side of one the original photos, the silhouette that appears to be the back left leg is actually part of the tail.) The fur on the front legs had already started to rip out by the root… it was just too heavy and knotted to hold on.

Kelli, a veteran groomer at Mutt Hutt, agreed to come into work very early this morning to see what she could do to help. Without Kelli’s generous offer, I am not sure what we would have done. The amount of grooming tools that she had to use to break through the hard shell of fur was unbelievable.

Within the first ten minutes we found out that our matted pup was a girl… we named her Ellen. For the next hour and a half, I held Ellen and Kelli quickly worked to shave the heavy casing of fur away from Ellen’s body. Even though we had to pull out fur that had grown 2 inches down Ellen’s ear canal and shave matted fur away from her irritated paper-thin skin, never once did Ellen growl or show her teeth. When it came time to shave the matted fur that had tightly wrapped its way around Ellen’s raw legs like a snug boot, Ellen actually looked up at me and started to give me kisses… I could have died. Even better, the first time that she could feel the touch of my hand on her newly shaven back… she looked me in the eyes and it was as if she was saying thank you… her past abuse was literally being shaved away. In fact, 2 POUNDS of fur was shaved away!

After this, Ellen was taken straight to our vet, Dr. Hartwig, at Heal Veterinary Clinic were she underwent numerous tests and was started on antibiotics and pain medication.

We also worked with Integrative Pet Care to best learn how to use therapeutic massage to help alleviate the pain that Ellen was experiencing in her lower extremities… the 2 pounds of matted fur caused an enormous amount of stress on her joints and muscles. Ellen was having a hard time figuring out how sit properly and even had discomfort when she tried to lean over and eat her food.

During this healing process, Ellen came back to my home where she was cared for by three of TAF’s rehabilitation dogs… Miller, Antler and Geiger. In the weeks to follow, Ellen learned how to play and socialize by spending time with her foster buddies and going to daycare at Unleashed Pups boarding and daycare. Unleashed’s staff would sit patiently on the floor and wait for Ellen to come up to them. Once she felt comfortable, Ellen’s trust quickly grew and she was thrilled to go there for visits and to play. This amount of love and attention catapulted Ellen’s recovery both mentally and physically. It was like the memories of her years of abuse had vanished… she finally knew that she was safe and boy did that make her happy.

After pouring over 200 applications, TAF’s rescue division, Project Rescue Chicago, narrowed it down to 3 possible families. In the end, it would be a little boy named Linus that would win Ellen over. When this pup walked through the front doors of Unleashed, Ellen’s eyes lit up and she ran right to him. It was love at first sight and she made it very apparent that this was the family that she wanted to call her own… it was then that our mighty girl picked her forever home.

It is hard to write up/wrap up Ellen’s final post. We will so miss seeing this resilient girl running around and jumping on the laps of those that aided in her recovery and fell in love with her. By far… saving Ellen is one of our proudest accomplishments.

Trinity

FANTASTIC NEWS! TAF sponsored Trinity has found her forever home!

For weeks, Trinity was seen living in a Chicago yard, without shelter, wandering into the alleys and digging through garbage for food. Even though she is under a year old, it was obvious that little Trinity has already been bred and had puppies.

When Trinity came into TAF’s program, she needed to be hospitalized as she had a severe case of pneumonia. After weeks of hospitalization, Trinity’s medical bills quickly exceeded $3,000 as we did everything in our power to give her the life-saving medical attention that she needed.

For the last three months, Project Rescue Chicago has cared for Trinity until the perfect family came along… a family that would go above and beyond the call of duty for this once forgotten soul.

Well, I am happy to announce that Trinity now has three older (rescued) Collie brothers, 5 cat siblings and parents that love her. 

The family’s senior female Collie recently passed and the Collie boys and 5 cats have not been the same without her. She was the glue that kept them together and now we are hopeful that Trinity will step in where she left off.

Before we left, Trinity had already found her best buddy (the tri-colored male right next to her) and was already smitten with one of her new cat brothers. Truly a match made in heaven!

TAF would like to thank the generous donors who sent in donations to help pay for Trinity's medical bills and PRC for taking her into their program. We couldn't have done it without you!

Good luck Trinity… you will be missed!

Misty

NOW THAT IS ONE HAPPY "AFTER" PHOTO!

After one amazing makeover... TAF's Misty has found her forever home!

I think that this is one of the happiest adoption photos that we have ever taken!

Alex

The best Father's Day present ever… a best friend for life.

From an open access shelter into the loving arms of his new dad… Alex has found his forever home!

Brando

THE FORGOTTEN BOY IN CAGE # 98 HAS FOUND HIS FOREVER LOVE.

After 3 months of heartbreak and despair in an open access shelter, Brando has found his way into the loving arms of his new foster mom.

In less than a week, Brando has already gained 6 pounds and his health is steadily improving. If he continues on this path, Brando will soon be neutered and his foster mom will officially become his forever mom.

Brando's mom had this to say, "I feel like I don't know what I did before meeting this amazing pup... I am so, so grateful for him".

Carmen

FANTASTIC NEWS… TAF sponsored Carmen has found her forever home!!!

In November 2012, TAF asked Project Rescue Chicago if they would partner up with us to pull a female pitbull in need on the first anniversary of our namesake’s passing. Working together, TAF sponsored all of Carmen’s medical needs and PRC treated her like a princess and made sure that she never went without.

Well, all of PRC’s hard work and dedication has paid off because TAF sponsored Carmen landed herself in the most loving home ever… a home that adores her and a support system that will never fail her. Quite simply, Carmen’s wait was not in vain. The most recent update from her new mom ended with the words, “Simply put, Best. Dog. Ever.”

If that didn’t make you smile… when Carmen’s dad works from different rooms in their home, Carmen will follow him pulling her bed, room to room, so that she can sleep next to him. I think that pretty much sums up the love that Carmen feels in her heart for her new family.

Best of luck to Carmen and her new family! Also, a HUGE thank you to Bridgid, from Project Rescue Chicago, for never giving up on our girl and seeing her adoption through to the end!!!

Sophia

LOOK WHO FOUND THEIR FOREVER HOME… SOPHIA!!!

When TAF first saw Sophia, she was terrified, sad and cowering in the back of her cage at an open access shelter. We knew that her fate was bleak and we asked Project Rescue Chicago is they would help us bring her to safety and get the medical care that she needed.

After months in our programs, Sophia has found the love of her life… her new dad. She lights up when he walks into the room and her world revolves around him. It is truly one of the happiest adoptions that I have ever seen.

This is a true happy ending!!!

Roscoe

Who is the happiest boy in the world... TAF sponsored Roscoe!!! This lucky pup just found his forever home and he could barely contain himself! He was sooooo happy!

Eggbert

LOOK WHO FOUND HIS MOM ON MOTHER’s DAY… EGGBERT!!!

For the past month, Eggbert has been in TAF’s sponsorship program for a nasty upper respiratory infection. After weeks of some serious antibiotics and daily nebulizing treatments to help him breathe, Eggbert has made a full recovery, was neutered and has found his forever home.

As you can see from the photo, Eggbert couldn’t contain his love for his new mom… his kisses say it all!

Sweetart

GREAT NEWS... TAF SPONSORED SWEETART HAS FOUND HER FOREVER HOME!!!

After two hospital stays and several weeks of vet visits, our puppy Sweetart has found a mom that loves her and a dad that ADORES her!!!

We are so happy that Sweetart got her happy ending and so thankful to Project Rescue Chicago for finding her the perfect forever home.

To all of those people who donated towards Sweetart's extensive medical care, we couldn't have done it without you!