HOW BARC FUNDRAISING HELPS
Scooter's Story
By
Wayne and Debbie Griffy
 
I'll go back to before Scooter was born, so you can have
the whole picture.
In October, 2002 a breeder in West Tennessee ( and I use
the term very loosely) wanted to sell all her
breeding stock. Two people from the Volunteer Boston
Terrier Club in Middle Tennessee went to see the dogs
and facilities, and left with all the Bostons. All were
neglected and malnourished. One of the females was
already pregnant.
Scooter and two healthy pups were born on November 16,
2002. Within a few weeks it was obvious Scooter
had a problem, and they called us when Scooter was 5 weeks
old. We picked her up on December 18th.
When we first saw Scooter, it looked like her legs were on
backwards. The other pups were learning to walk,
but Scooter could just barely get up on her front feet,
with her back legs stretched out behind her. When you
would pick her up and she would flex the muscles in her
back legs, they would bend straight up in the air over
her back.
Our vet had never seen anything like it. Her femurs were
"bowed" and her knees were on the outside of her
legs. The muscles in her back were also underdeveloped,
hopefully because she had never been able to use
them much. He offered some courses of action, but said she
really needed to see an Orthopedic surgeon, and
referred her to Dr. Sam Beckman in Brentwood, TN.
Dr. Beckman confirmed our vet's diagnosis and felt he
could get her legs straight, but it would have to be done
before she was 3 months old. It was against his policy to
operate on dogs under 4-5 months old, but that
would be Scooter's only chance. We scheduled the surgery
for February 4th to allow her to get a little
stronger. At best we hoped she would be able to get her
legs under her to help her balance, and get her belly
off the floor. We started reading up on doggie
wheelchairs.
While waiting for the surgery date, Scooter was as normal
a BT as she could be. She looked like a seal out of
water, but she was determined to adapt. It was hard to
watch as she tried to walk using only her two front feet.
She would try lifting her back legs completely off the
floor to walk, or just drag her back legs. She could not
eat or drink from a bowl. She couldn't go outside, and
when she used the bathroom she would get it all over
herself while dragging herself away. We were having second
thoughts about the surgery and what kind of life
she would have in a wheelchair.
BARC and friends rescued me and Debbie and Scooter, by
donating most of the cost of the surgery and
offering tons of support.
Scooter had her surgery on February 4, 2003. Dr. Beckman
said it was a success, and to keep her crated or
in someone's lap for at least 3 weeks. We didn't think
that would be a problem, because she had been in
someone's lap since the day we got her. We could see
improvement right away. When we put her down, her
back feet were under her, and she could stand. That alone
was worth it to me. Over the next few days her
back muscles started to develop and she got stronger
everyday. Within a week she had learned to walk and
was trying to run.
Before her surgery I never imagined Scooter as a normal
Boston. Three weeks after her surgery it was hard to
see her as anything but a normal Boston Terrorist. Except
for her legs still being "bowed" and the scars, you
would never know she had ever been disabled.
There were a lot of "firsts" for me and Debbie. We were
used to rescuing abused, elderly, or sick Bostons, but
this was the first disabled puppy we ever dealt with.
Unlike so many of the guys we have rescued, we knew
she could possibly have many, many years ahead of her, and
that's why the decision was so hard. We
couldn't stand to think of her dragging herself around all
of her life, but we shuddered at the thought of her little
life stopping altogether, if she wasn't able to come
through the surgery. We also struggled with the idea of
putting that much money into one dog, when we have other
guys with ongoing health problems, who might
have to do without something they needed, even
temporarily, if money became tight.
BARC and friends really came through for all of us, and
when we look at Scooter now, we realize just how
great and important your efforts are. Thanks so much for
what you have provided to Scooter...a long, normal,
and happy life!
Frankie's Story
By
Jodi LeMoine
 
When I first got the call about Frankie, he was in a shelter and was to be PTS in a matter of hours, because
he needed a surgery to repair his rectum, my first call was to my vet to ask him what this would entail, and his
response was yes, please get him, we can at least evaluate him and buy him some time. Immediately I knew
that this meant one of two things. One I was going to have to hold a small, scared, abandoned Boston puppy
while we helped him cross the rainbow bridge, or I was going to have to raise funds for surgery. Panicking I
called two of my closest rescue friends, and they both assured me that we could raise the funds no matter
what and I should run, not walk to get this puppy. Armored by the strength and conviction of my vet, and
fellow rescue friends I went to go get Frankie, and my heart hit the floor when I saw him. I was actually
horrified. He looked so terrible and smelled so bad.
My mom, that doesn't like that I do Dog Rescue, was such a trooper. We were down in the southern part of
the state, celebrating a late Christmas when I got the call from the shelter in the same county, to ask if I
would take in Frank. We stopped at Walmart and bought blankets and a kennel, and picked him up. I never
took pictures of how horrible his rear end looked, and I will never forget it either as long as I live. My vet did a
less envasive surgery to try and fix Frankie rear end, but it didn't work, and it became very apparent, he
needed a much more extensive one.
That is where you all came in. I asked all of you to help for him to get this surgery and you all responded in
droves. I was so honored and overwhelmed by your care and concern for Frankie, I saved every envelope,
every letter, and every card that you all sent, so that I could give it to his new family when he was ready for
adoption. I wanted whomever adopted Frankie to hopefully grasp how special he was. I wanted them to see
how many people had cared about him and helped him and thought he was special too.
After several ups and downs with Frankie, and many glances at the pile of envelopes, letters, and cards, I too
began realizing how special Frankie had become to me, and my heart sank and breath stopped at thinking he
would leave my life. That coupled with the few meager applications I got to adopt him, I finally came to the
realization that I can't give him up....
Thank you all for supporting me in keeping this little bean, I never saw this one coming, and I am still reeling
from all of the adjustments I am sure we will have to make, but one thing is for sure...I have a love in my life, a
new man in my life..........and his name is Frankie!
Broadie's Story
By
Ella Hampton
 
.
I was contacted by a lady in Florida who told me that Broadie was found in a
bad situation in Florida and asked if I could take him into rescue. It
seems Broadie had been chained to a tree the entire 10 months of his life.
Broadie was transported from Florida to me in Georgia where he was taken to
the vet to be examined. It seems he was about 5-7 pounds underweight and
was coughing badly. It turns out that I was able to find out that the
transporter had also pulled two puppies from a shelter and put them in with
Broadie. Unknown to her, these puppies had Parvo. As a result one of the
puppies died but Broadie had become infected and was very ill. For awhile
it seemed that nothing was helping but he finally started to improve.
Broadie is now well on his road to recovery. As soon as he gets a little
more weight on, he will be looking for that perfect home. He is such a
sweetie with that perpetual innocent look. Broadie is very smart and a
handsome fellow. He loves to play now and is quite the snuggler. Broadie
is also a little imp! He loves to tease and is already a good little watch
dog. BARC paid for Broadie's medical bills and helped get him on his road to
recovery.
NEXT
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