Hope for Howie

Eight-year-old Howie is as good as they come. He is happy, curious, and loving. He has just the right amount of energy. He’s playful and full of life, but naps quietly while his foster mom works so he doesn’t disturb her.

Howie doesn’t believe there is such a thing as a stranger in life. To him, every human is a potential new friend.

And if you’re having a bad day, Howie’s the guy you need. He will gently place his paw on your shoulder to comfort you and then lick your face. If you cry, Howie will lie on your lap like a weighted blanket and stay there as long as you need. He is pure love.

There’s just one thing wrong with Howie: he has a joint disease.

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Howie was surrendered to an overcrowded shelter in California last year under unusual circumstances. He was brought in as a stray, but the shelter worker noticed the name of the person who was surrendering him matched his microchip. The surrenderer then claimed Howie had attacked her. But the shelter worker was attune to Howie’s marshmallow demeanor and had doubts. The surrenderer didn’t seem the least bit scared to be around him, and she had no bite marks or scratches.

Finally, the woman stated that Howie had been her dog for years, and that, although he is a good dog, she didn’t like him anymore. It was hard to fathom why, but at least the savviness of the shelter worker saved this “vicious” dog from immediate euthanasia. Howie was admitted to the shelter.

And then he waited. And waited. Months went by, but with over a hundred dogs at the shelter waiting to be chosen, potential adopters overlooked him. The shelter team was doing the best they could, but they have too many animals in their care to be able to give any of them enough attention.

Dogs at Howie’s shelter spend 23 or more hours a day in their kennels, getting out only once daily for a short walk. The staff are doing the best they can, but because the shelter is so understaffed and lacking in funding, there is little enrichment or stimulation to help the dogs pass the time. It’s not uncommon for dogs to stay at the shelter for a year, sometimes two years, waiting for someone to adopt them.

Howie was lucky. A wonderful volunteer named Yana noticed him and offered to foster him and find him a permanent home. Though most dogs need time to acclimate and de-stress in a new environment, Howie settled right in at Yana’s place. His easy-going nature and gentle heart sensed that Yana would take great care of him. He was right.

The morning after Howie arrived, Yana could see there was something very wrong with Howie. When he woke up to start his day, his back end was dragging, and he fell to the floor.

She brought him to see the shelter veterinarian who did an x-ray, but the shelter doesn’t have good medical equipment, so the images weren’t helpful. They guessed that Howie has likely had the problem a while, but no one at the shelter had time to notice. Maybe it was the real reason he was surrendered.

Howie’s condition continued to get worse. Previously able to go on multiple daily walks, he began to limp if he spent much time on his feet. Yana sought out answers, knowing that the right treatment would relieve Howie’s pain and give him the ability to walk and play once again.

Over the next couple of months, Yana worked to get a diagnosis and treatment plan for Howie. She organized an online fundraising page, and friends helped her host an event at a local bar. Businesses donated items for a raffle. The generosity and support that poured in were amazing. Together, $9,900 was raised for his care.

Soon after, life threw Howie and Yana another curveball. Howie wasn’t feeling well. A trip to the veterinarian revealed a pig’s ear treat which was caught in Howie’s digestive system – an unfortunate incident that was not Howie’s fault. He received an endoscopy which solved the problem, but unfortunately Yana had to dip into the funds raised to cover Howie’s $3,500 medical bill.

Finally, Yana was able to get a consultation with a neurologist, who determined the problem was with Howie’s hip. An MRI provided both good and bad news. Howie would not need to undergo surgery, but he does have a degenerative joint disease which will need to be managed by injections every six months. He just received his first injection and it’s making a difference for him.

The funds Yana raised are almost drained, and the shelter doesn’t have the budget to provide him with anymore care. He needs to be adopted soon. Though Howie loves people and is good with children and cats, he would prefer an adopter where he will be the only dog in the home. Coupled with his ongoing medical expenses for his future adopter (about $1,500 every six months, though the cost might be less in other communities), and his eight years of age, the shelter needs to prioritize other animals who are more desirable to potential adopters, given the enormous volume of dogs in their care. Though understandable given their lack of resources, it’s a heartbreaking position for his foster mom.

Still, there is so much hope for a happy outcome for Howie. But he needs all of our help.

Sure, there are millions of dogs in need, and maybe we can’t help them all. But every dog we can help matters. Howie wants to live, and he offers so much love and joy. He makes the most of every moment. He brings out the best of humanity. This world is better because Howie is in it.

Yana wants to continue to foster Howie until he is adopted, but she doesn’t have the resources to fund his ongoing care. The support of people who love dogs has gotten Howie so far already. He just needs a little more help. He needs to find an adopter willing to absorb his ongoing medical costs. That’s where all of us come in, to get him across the rescue finish line.

If we can spread the word about this wonderful dog in need of an adopter, we can find him a home. Howie is just one dog, but he matters.

Please, share this blog or Howie’s Instagram posts (@HowieDaHandsome) with fellow dog lovers, and ask them to share as well. By following his Instagram page you will increase Howie’s visibility and have the ability to follow along with his story. Together, we can find him a home.

If you’re hoping to adopt a perfect dog, look no further than Howie. He’s an incredibly special dog. Howie is currently in California, but it wouldn’t be hard for him to relocate. Contact me if you’d like more information on Howie, or if you’d like to adopt him, click here.

Yana loves Howie and wishes they could be together forever. But she knows there are more dogs who are hoping for a chance, and she can make the biggest impact by fostering. We can’t save every dog. But we can save some. So after Yana is done helping Howie, she’ll head back to the shelter to help another dog, and then another. Her kindness and compassion are indescribable, as is the love – and hope – she has for Howie.