This is a heartbreaking story – but don’t worry, there is a very happy ending.
Meet Theo, Theo from Thermal.
He was found abandoned and severely injured near the airport in Thermal, CA. Along with being fearful and malnourished, his left eye was badly damaged and infected. He was taken into a local shelter by a good samaritan.
At the time of his rescue, the shelters around the Coachella Valley area were bursting at the seams with animals. This little guy was an emergency case and needed help fast – but the cost of his care was preventing many rescues from taking him in.
Living Free Animal Sanctuary decided something had to be done. With the help of our supporters, we were able to send Theo to get surgery to remove his badly infected eye. He then made his way up to our sanctuary where he has been recuperating in our quarantine facilities ever since.
Theo was very scared of people when he first arrived. He would cower and even bare his teeth at anyone who approached. However, our staff understood that these actions were not just from being fearful – this behavior reflected a dog in severe pain and neglect. He needed time to heal and time to understand that he was safe.
With his eye removed and with a lot of TLC, Theo is recovering in leaps and bounds. He still has a long road ahead of him due to the severity of his condition, but our staff is confident he will be a very happy and healthy dog soon. He is already greeting people with enthusiastic tail wags, running up to receive pets.
Theo’s surgery and long term post-op care will cost us $3,000. Our kennel staff will be carefully monitoring him and helping him learn to navigate the world with just one eye. Thanks to our supporters, we have been able to give Theo the second chance he deserves. If you would like to help out and be part of Theo’s story, we are still fundraising to support Theo throughout his recovery.
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