A New Leash On Life: One Rescue Dog’s Story of Resilience
Bruno is one of Furry Friends Rescue’s (many) success stories.
After more than a year of enforced living with the new normal, actual normal is finally tantalizingly close. With glimmers of pre-pandemic life all around us, it’s a reminder that, even when our world turns upside down, we can adapt and find the strength to push forward.
Life took an unexpected turn for this rescue dog, too, but with the help of others, he now has brighter days ahead. Meet Bruno.
Like many dogs who end up in a shelter, Bruno—a four-year-old German Shepherd mix—came with a laundry list of health issues and a blank medical history. One thing was immediately clear: Bruno had been suffering from untreated ear infections for far too long.
Once in a foster home, Bruno received the TLC he so desperately needed, but multiple trips to the vet for deep cleanings and medication did nothing to improve his ear issues. It soon became apparent that this gentle giant’s condition was worse than it seemed. Additional testing and a CT scan revealed that his ear canals were completely blocked and rock solid. No amount of cleaning could undo years of infection. The fix was double ear canal ablation surgery. Unfortunately, there was a catch. Bruno would be pain-free after the operation, but he would lose any hearing he had left.
Bruno recovering from his ear surgery
At this point, surgery was the only option. And despite this being the worst case the surgeons had ever seen, the procedure was a success (plus they were able to save his handsome ear flaps). Although deaf, Bruno was finally on the road to recovery.
The idea of losing one of our senses is almost unthinkable, but it’s a reality for many people. Faced with uncontrollable circumstances, often when least expected, humans who lose a sense require a long time to learn a new way of life and to find the strength to let go of the life they’d known before. Bruno would have to do the same.
Facing the unknown can feel like the ultimate test, whether it’s losing one’s hearing or living through a global pandemic. When it comes to shelter dogs, there will always be questions about where they came from or why they are the way they are, questions that may never be answered. Understandably, such unknowns may cause doubts about adopting a shelter dog. Yet even when we have all the answers, things don’t always go as planned.
When the rescue group took Bruno in, no one could have predicted where his journey would take him. But they did know that he wouldn’t be facing it alone.
Bruno would make a great addition to any family, but luckily for him, he’s already found a forever home with his foster family. Despite his medical trials, he is just as loving as he was the day he was rescued. Once fully healed and cone-free, he’s sure to be just as happy, too. This sweet boy will live out the rest of his days with his new family and BFF (best furry friend).
At the onset of the pandemic, many took the opportunity to adopt a dog as more people began to work from home. Unfortunately, not everyone considered how that new dog would fit into their future once regular work life returned. Shelters across the country are seeing a new influx of dogs being returned now that post-pandemic life is upon us. If you’ve ever thought about fostering or adopting a shelter dog, now might be the perfect time to open your heart to a new friend.
We’ve seen over the course of a year how fast things can change amid so much uncertainty. But we’ve also seen how much we can overcome when we take care of each other. In the end, we know things will get better. They did for Bruno, just as they can for the many other shelter dogs seeking their own forever homes.