Stanley's Update

Hi this is Stanley again! Last time I told you I had surgery on one leg for my hip and my kneecap but still had to have the other leg done. Well, it’s done and I’m so relieved to know that the surgeries are over. I’ve been taking it easy so my leg mends quickly although it’s hard because I just want to play! I’d been living at North Shore Animal League America since September 19th, 2005 when I arrived from Louisiana. That’s a long time to be basically living in either the medical center or the shelter! On May 7th, 2006 during our big Adoptathon my wishes came true and I was adopted! I am so excited to have a home of my very own! Now I can concentrate on building up my back leg muscles with someone who loves me. By the way, I couldn’t have had these two major orthopedic surgeries without the support of kind folks like you, so thank you very much. Your contributions really make a difference.

Stanley's Story

Hi I’m Stanley and I’m about 10 months old. I’ve gone through a lot in ten months but aren’t I just the most handsome thing you’ve ever seen? My good looks and Southern charm didn’t save me from getting caught in Hurricane Katrina, though. Luckily, I ended up here as part of the League’s hurricane rescue efforts. When I first arrived here in September, I was in bad shape. I was underweight, had diarrhea, an upper respiratory infection and hair loss. The list went on and on! Luckily the nice veterinarians and vet technicians at the Medical Center corrected all of these problems.

Regrettably, both of my back legs have orthopedic problems. I’ve had some surgeries and have more scheduled. I have hip dysplasia in both hips and I have something called medial patella luxation, which is a fancy way of saying that my kneecaps don’t stay in place; surgery is needed to help them stay put. Without surgery my legs will hurt me and it can lead to arthritis. So far I’ve had the operation for both my kneecap and hip on my right leg. I will need the other knee and other hip done soon.

The worst part is, I’m a happy guy and I want to get out and run around but my activity is restricted so I don’t hurt myself further. I can’t wait for all these surgeries to be over so I can go out on the adoption floor and wait for my new family to take me home. When you support the Help Me Heal program, your dollars go to support important things like the special surgeries I need. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for making a difference in my life and the lives of the other dogs and cats who live here.