Teddy’s Incredible Journey
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See Teddy's story here
Our sweet Teddy has survived being brutally attacked by dogs, a kill shelter, he was lost, shot, hit by a car, and lived outside for 7 months through a hot summer and frigid winter. He's in bad shape and needs a lot of help. Currently, he has bilateral hip dysplasia, a lame leg, a broken tailbone. He was shot and has bullet fragments in his hind legs and was (according to the latest vet visit) likely hit by a car which caused the hip damage. He has spinal cord nerve damage and bowel incontinence. He also has Lyme disease, is severely emaciated and suffers from PTSD. Please consider donating to his veterinary bills and rehabilitation and/or SHARE HIS STORY. If you have a few minutes, please read his entire story below.
Our miracle boy Teddy is around 4 years old (we think) but he's gone through more than most dogs and even humans go through in a lifetime. Last May we found his picture while scrolling through social media, he was scheduled to be euthanized at a shelter in California. His previous owner surrendered him after he was brutally attacked by other dogs. He had severe bite wounds on both shoulders and had surgery on both, followed by a very difficult recovery. Once he was placed on the adoption list, no one expressed any interest in him. He was traumatized by his experience and fearful of his surroundings and people/dogs. He refused to interact with handlers or shelter staff and just sat in the corner shaking in fear.
Our sweet Teddy has survived being brutally attacked by dogs, a kill shelter, he was lost, shot, hit by a car, and lived outside for 7 months through a hot summer and frigid winter. He's in bad shape and needs a lot of help. Currently, he has bilateral hip dysplasia, a lame leg, a broken tailbone. He was shot and has bullet fragments in his hind legs and was (according to the latest vet visit) likely hit by a car which caused the hip damage. He has spinal cord nerve damage and bowel incontinence. He also has Lyme disease, is severely emaciated and suffers from PTSD. Please consider donating to his veterinary bills and rehabilitation and/or SHARE HIS STORY. If you have a few minutes, please read his entire story below.
Our miracle boy Teddy is around 4 years old (we think) but he's gone through more than most dogs and even humans go through in a lifetime. Last May we found his picture while scrolling through social media, he was scheduled to be euthanized at a shelter in California. His previous owner surrendered him after he was brutally attacked by other dogs. He had severe bite wounds on both shoulders and had surgery on both, followed by a very difficult recovery. Once he was placed on the adoption list, no one expressed any interest in him. He was traumatized by his experience and fearful of his surroundings and people/dogs. He refused to interact with handlers or shelter staff and just sat in the corner shaking in fear.
We couldn't allow him to be killed and decided to adopt him immediately after reading his story and falling in love with his sweet sad eyes. I flew from D.C. to Los Angeles to pick him up and then drove back cross country to bring him back home in Washington, D.C.
After a few days at home, he got a little comfortable. He started behavioral therapy, allowed us to pet him, bathe him, and even began roaming outside of his room freely. A big step for him!
One weekend in June 2021, we took him with us on a family trip to Stroudsburg, PA. He seemed to come alive outside, sniffing around and wagging his tail in enjoyment. One minute he was there, and the next - he’d found a hole in the fence and escaped. He was gone. We looked for him everywhere, for months. We posted flyers, contacted shelters, veterinary offices, the police, and worked with tracking organizations to find him. None of it worked, he was gone.
One weekend in June 2021, we took him with us on a family trip to Stroudsburg, PA. He seemed to come alive outside, sniffing around and wagging his tail in enjoyment. One minute he was there, and the next - he’d found a hole in the fence and escaped. He was gone. We looked for him everywhere, for months. We posted flyers, contacted shelters, veterinary offices, the police, and worked with tracking organizations to find him. None of it worked, he was gone.
We’d given up all hope until this Friday when we received the most incredible unexpected call. They found him!! Over 7 months after he first disappeared. He traveled nearly 80 miles, survived the elements - through the summer heat, the rain, the bitter cold, the snow! He ran back and forth over the backwoods of rural Pennsylvania and New York, eating scraps and hiding wherever he could.
We don’t know everything he’s gone through but can tell from his injuries that it was a lot. He was shot and has bullet fragments in his left hind limb. He has severe bilateral hip dysplasia and will most likely need a hip replacement and months of therapy. He has a fractured sacrum with displacement, Lyme disease, anaplasma, and a fractured right maxillary canine.
He’ll get through all of it because if he’s shown us anything it’s that he’s a survivor. If you'd like to help in whatever small way (even just by sharing this story to give someone hope and happiness) we’d appreciate it so much.
We don’t know everything he’s gone through but can tell from his injuries that it was a lot. He was shot and has bullet fragments in his left hind limb. He has severe bilateral hip dysplasia and will most likely need a hip replacement and months of therapy. He has a fractured sacrum with displacement, Lyme disease, anaplasma, and a fractured right maxillary canine.
He’ll get through all of it because if he’s shown us anything it’s that he’s a survivor. If you'd like to help in whatever small way (even just by sharing this story to give someone hope and happiness) we’d appreciate it so much.
Teddy was tracked, saved, and cared for by so many wonderful people until he was reunited with us. We are eternally grateful to the New York state troopers who tracked him for weeks, Lucy and Karrie who went out of their way to help him, Nicole from Buddha Rescue who actually “caught” him, the Catskill Veterinary Services staff who treated him and his wounds, and Ryan and Becky at Pets Alive Shelter who cared for him until we got there. We are now back home in D.C. with Teddy safely in his warm bed while we arrange further care for him to get better. We have (by popular demand) made him an Instagram account and if you'd like to follow his recovery and hopefully "boring" adventures you can find him @teddy_the_miracle_dog
THANK YOU
Here’s our reunion: https://hudsonvalley.news12.com/7-months-later-pennsylvania-family-to-reunite-with-dog-found-in-orange-county?fbclid=IwAR2M7ugeaxC3klRgKQb6w9fZN4NaP9QNpssfOgWd2bcgFtup8AIy1mtuLT8
THANK YOU
Here’s our reunion: https://hudsonvalley.news12.com/7-months-later-pennsylvania-family-to-reunite-with-dog-found-in-orange-county?fbclid=IwAR2M7ugeaxC3klRgKQb6w9fZN4NaP9QNpssfOgWd2bcgFtup8AIy1mtuLT8
Organizer
Salvatore Della Monica
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC