by Wendy Hunter

Wendy Hunter is a volunteer with the Animal Rescue of Fresno. ARF shares with KRL their animal rescue adventures every month.

Bulldogs are adorable, with faces like toads that have been sat on. —Colette

Well, hidey ho neighbors and welcome back sports fans, to a new improved world where home runs and touchdowns have become this country’s Band-Aid. People are cheering and clapping for their favorite teams, icing down tubs of Coors Light, and sharing plates of nachos, jalapeño poppers, hot dogs, and juicy cheeseburgers. Of course, this is all being enjoyed in cozy living rooms, at a very safe social distance.

We’ve learned to love the SF Giants’ silly cutouts in the stands, the fake audience roaring, and even the sweet sounds of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” by a non-existent organist. You’ve never seen a happier octogenarian as my mother, when she realizes there’s a Giants game on at 2:00 p.m., and a Niners game at 6:00 p.m. Oh, heaven on earth. It’s sort of how I feel when I realize TMC is showing All About Eve and How To Marry a Millionaire back to back. Oh, the joy of it all. Sports has been what’s missing for months now, to heighten our team spirit amidst all the sadness and rubble around us. This year sports is bringing us Americans together in a way we never thought possible; we’re all on the same team for a change. We’re on Team 2020, a lousy organization with the worst record ever seen in baseball history. Our goal is to have our contract renewed in 2021, and kick this past year to the curb. Now pass me those potato skins, and make my margarita strong; it’s time to start living again.

These days it’s hard to find something good in the world, and life just seems drab. Unlike we humans, dogs seem to have an innate way of rolling with the punches, and going along with whatever the universe throws at them. For example, ARF is housing a few dogs and cats from the fires, and since they don’t know what’s happening, we try our best to comfort them. The only reason they’re trusting us volunteers at all is because we keep our pockets packed with treats. Pupperoni is key for making new friends. One of our newest tennants, “Boudroex” (aka Boody), is not a victim of the fires, but of a painful human condition called Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Boody’s owner had MS, whose symptoms can include vision problems, fatigue, dizziness, and permanent nerve damage. Boody is an obedience service dog, who was specifically trained to help his owner through the difficult and painful process of dealing with MS on a daily basis. Even though there are many treatment options, Boody’s owner sadly lost his battle with MS. I’m sure Boody was right by his side, just like Miss Cocoa was with my dad. A dog’s love never dies…

Boody is a beautiful tan and white male American Bulldog, about six-years-old. I was finally able to meet this charmer over the weekend, and after about five minutes, I seriously wanted to smuggle him home. Unfortunately, Miss Cocoa would not approve. And well, at 85 pounds, Boody’s a bit too large to fit into my biggest tote bag. Boody is one of those dogs who might intimidate people at first glance. He’s tall, with a squishy face and underbite, which can definitely look a little scary. But once he leans against your legs like you’re a giant Oak tree, any apprehension melts away. Boody enjoys lots of scratching on his big bully head and his wiggly butt. Just watch out for that tail; it’s a true lethal weapon. Boody’s that friendly dog who sees a stranger, and immediately races over to say, “Hey, who are you? Do you have any treats? Will you be my best friend?” This sweet boy is high energy, strong, and super FUN. He’s also one of those dogs who doesn’t know his own strength, and can easily knock a small child or elderly person to the ground. Boody loves to play, but keep an eye on this Speedy Gonzales – he’s a fast one!

Boody has a sister, Jewel, another American Bulldog. She is also trained for basic obedience, and at one time she was a licensed companion service dog. Jewel was lucky enough to be chosen for one of our Heaven Can Wait trips to Oregon, where she will, without a doubt, find her forever home. Unfortunately, Boody wasn’t able to make the same journey, since he’s recovering from surgery on his right leg. Similar to a torn ACL in humans, Boody was suffering from a Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL), which causes pain and immobility. This can occur after extensive impact on the ligament, or during a sudden injury. It’s possible that Boody’s frail owner leaned on Boody for support. After many years, this may have taken on a toll on his back leg. To treat a CCL rupture, vets recommend the Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO). The TPLO procedure is a method to repair a cruciate ligament rupture. The TPLO is the most common procedure for dogs with a cruciate tear. It requires a specialty surgeon, and in general, the TPLO has an excellent success rate. Boody is happy to be pain-free again, but NOT happy about his restrictive recovery time of 8-12 weeks. Why CAN’T I go play? It’s not fair…oh wait, is that another biscuit for little ol’ me?

It’s wonderful that Boody is doing so well, but that kind of surgery is not cheap. The total estimated charges for the TPLO were $2319.07, which is a huge chunk of change for a small rescue like ARF. But for a very special dog like Boody, there was no other option. After Boody’s owner passed away, his wife began a severe decline in health, and was no longer able to care for him. We know that Boody could be a great service dog once again, and the owner’s daughter has nothing but amazing things to say about his talents. Here are a few things you need to know about this sweetie: he’s crate trained, he loves attention, playing with toys, chewing on bones, and he rings the bell on the back door for potty time. He’s a big “meat head,” happy, goofy, and loving. Boody knows many words, including sit, stay, down, off, treat/cookie, leave it, no, okay, and quiet. For you travel types, Boody sleeps well in the car, either in his crate or restraint. Like many dogs, Boody is not fond of fireworks, or the vacuum cleaner. Too scary. I’ll be in my crate until it’s over. Ahhh, the safe place. A true “dingbat,” he is an awesome dog!

ARF is happy to say that Boody’s sister Jewel has been adopted, and we wish her well. We would like to thank Boody’s former family for graciously donating to his medical expenses. If you are interested in helping out ARF with Boody’s surgery, we would greatly appreciate it. People can go to our website and there’s a donation button. In the memo section, they can use Boody’s name or just put in “medical fund.” Boody will not be ready for adoption for several weeks, but we are taking applications. Please go to our website to fill out an application. We will contact you to set up an appointment for a Meet and Greet. Thank you for your continued support of Animal Rescue of Fresno.

Animal Rescue of Fresno
4545 E Dakota Ave.
Fresno, CA 93726
Website: arf-fresno.com

Check out more animal rescue stories in our Pet Perspective section and check back every month for another animal rescue adventure from ARF. Advertise in KRL and 10% of your advertising fees can go to a local animal rescue. We also have a pet Facebook group for KRL and we would love to have you join!

Wendy Hunter has been volunteering with ARF for just over a year. She grew up in Fresno and recently became an Office Assistant with Fresno County. She has been writing all of her life, though never professionally, and currently writes personalized poetry for birthdays, weddings, pet remembrances, etc.

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