Charles And Max

Hi there. I’m Charles (brown and white), and this is my brother, Max. We are what you call Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. It sounds fancy, but actually, we’re just two good ol’ boys looking for love – but somehow wound up homeless and in need of surgery.

I am five years old and Max is four. We are both 32-ish lbs., which is a little overweight – or pleasantly plump, if you will. That’s why we’re on special diets. BUT we are well-seasoned at being great family dogs. The only thing is…both Max and I need corrective surgery on our knees. We suffer from Medial Patellar Luxation (MPL). This is a condition where our knees come out of their sockets, and it’s pretty painful. In some cases of MPL, physical therapy is enough, but ours is pretty advanced, and we need surgery so that we don’t lose our mobility.

While I only need knee surgery on one knee, poor Max needs surgery on two knees. You know, patellar luxation is very common for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. It’s actually believed to affect 20% to 30% of us. But it’s ok. North Shore Animal League America is going to make sure that Max and I get the surgeries we need. Then, they are going to give us the extensive physical therapy necessary for our knees to get better – as much as several times a day for a few months! Next they’ll find us a foster home so that we can heal in comfort and privacy. And last, but certainly not least, they will find us a new “forever” home together so that we can have our very own family to love and cherish again. The Animal League is going to do all that just for us – can you believe it?

You know, Max and I weren’t always on our own. We used to have a family, but they didn’t want to take care of us any more. I promise – we were really good dogs – we’re completely housebroken, hardly make any noise at all (except a little snoring) and we are really loving all of the time. I don’t know why mommy and daddy wanted to give us away. At first, we were really sad about it. I used to whimper all the time. We still get kinda down sometimes. But we’re focusing on the bright side – we live at North Shore Animal League America and not some other shelter that may not have the space or the capability to give us the care we need to live.

You know, when you think about it, Max and I are very lucky. It’s not easy to find a home when you’re an adult dog with surgery-requiring knee problems, but North Shore Animal League America promised to make it happen. They put us in a life-saving program called Help Me Heal, where we’ll get all the physical and emotional care we need to be happy and healthy again.

I have to admit, I’m really looking forward to being in a family again. Max and I are family dogs. We love affection from people and other animals and can’t wait for warm hugs and big belly rubs – cause that’s what Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are made of!

Your continuous support of the Help Me Heal Program enables dogs like Max and me to get the intricate and often delicate care we need to live healthy, happy lives. We couldn’t do it without North Shore Animal League America, and they couldn’t do it without YOU.