Adopted
| Breed | Bedlington Terrier |
| Color | |
| Age | Young |
| Gender | Male |
| Size | Small |
| Coat Length | - |
| Adoption Fee | - |
Characteristics
Health
House-trained
Good in a home with
Tom & Jerry must be adopted together.
TOM (4 year old neutered male white/grey Bedlington Terrier) & JERRY (one-eyed black 4 year old neutered male Pekingese): Those of us who constitute the core group of volunteers at Animal Alliance are longtime veterans of animals rescue, and we've seen everything -- dogs set on fire, kittens stomped to death, the lost limbs, eyes, and spirit of animals cruelly mistreated by sick humans. And then, when we think we've seen it all, along comes something even more horrible. TOM and JERRY were rescued together from horrible neglect. Consider this excerpt about TOM from our vet's statement to the Cruelty Investigator: "This animal was grotesquely matted, unable to walk, breathe, eat, urinate or defecate properly due to severely overgrown, filthy, knotted hair that nearly kept his entire mouth forcibly closed, covered his rectum and penis, and blocked one nostril completely. Besides being so terribly matted, this dog was dehydrated, suffering from profuse diarrhea, and had an upper respiratory infection. . . subsequently diagnosed as pneumonia, for which he is currently receiving in-hospital care. He required emergency grooming where he was shaved to his skin to free him of his mats."
Our Vet on TOM and JERRY: "In my professional veterinary opinion, these dogs had been deprived of proper care for an extended period of time. . . It is extremely unlikely that either had received either professional or at-home grooming for several years. Inadequate feeding and watering likely caused their dehydrated condition, and their dental decay and parasitic infestation signals to me that these animals had not received even basic veterinary attention for a prolonged period of time. These animals suffered neglect that turned into cruelty. The failure to properly feed, water, and groom these animals, as well as provide veterinary care resulted in them suffering terribly from starvation, malnutrition, dehydration, chronic intestinal upset and pain due to parasites, painful mouths due to dental decay, and most hideously, an impaired ability to walk, breathe, and excrete normally due to being prisoners of their own filthy matted fur."
Yes, it's sad but true, TOM and JERRY belonged to a human who did this to them. Our world-class groomer Mary at Happy Tails in Neshanic Station (who said they were the worst cases she's seen in her 10 year career, and we send her plenty of horrible cases) stayed up all night to free TOM & JERRY from their pain. In a poignant moment, they both shyly, then confidently began to groom themselves and each other once their hair was shorn off. Underneath their skin was raw, itchy, irritated. Imagine. . . having a chronic itch that you cannot get to because you are buried under a scratchy gigantic wool blanket that is taped to your body. This is what these animals suffered. Naturally, they were unneutered and required dental cleanings, which have been done at Animal Alliance expense. TOM has spent 14 days in the hospital for treatment for pneumonia, where he is being attended to by a vet staff that has gone the distance to bring him back from near-death to almost recovered. JERRY is with his foster mom, waiting for his friend to come home.
As is typical with mistreated dogs, TOM and JERRY show not a single sign of malice towards humans for what they have suffered. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Each is a loving, trusting, beautiful soul that loves to be petted, and in turn, gazes up adoringly at whatever person is paying them attention. In a classic rescue moment, the Animal Alliance volunteer who carried them out of the shelter was stunned when she saw a strange movement under TOM's thickly matted rear (nearly 10" thick from the skin) as she carried him to safety. . . At first, she thought it was vermin moving underneath, but upon closer examination, she realized that this animal who could not walk, breathe, eat or excrete properly due to his horrific condition, was in fact, trying to wag his tail.
How much love do you have to give? Enough to immerse TOM and JERRY in an indulgent life where they will be spoiled so intensely so as to make up for the horrors they've suffered? If you will have them sleep in bed with you, make special meals for them (both are still terribly underweight), make sure they are professionally groomed on a regular schedule, and show them massive amounts of love and affection, please apply on line for TOM and JERRY. Both are neutered, heartworm tested negative, up to date on all shots, dewormed, and current on monthly flea/tick/heartworm preventatives.
Please see the Animal Alliance Homepage for adoption details.
