MEET ESTELLE!

This tiny Shih Tzu has quite the story. Estelle was abandoned outside of one of our veterinary partners' offices during a huge snowstorm this past winter in Philadelphia. Luckily, another client who was visiting with their own pet saw her being left in the snow and brought her inside for safety. Our vet, realizing she was an older dog (likely around 10 years old) and appearing to be mostly blind, reached out to us after getting her much needed medical attention and not being able to locate her former family.

We happily took Estelle under our wing and she settled right into her foster home. She didn't hesitate to show her sweet and sassy personality! She has especially taken to her foster dad because he's a great snuggler and her favorite thing in the world seems to be snuggling in the recliner. She is currently living with other dogs and cats in her foster home and she gets along with everyone well. Most of the day, she'll happily curl up in a cozy dog bed but she does also have a goofy, playful side! It took a little while for her to really get comfortable since we're not sure what her past life was like and she may need a little while in her future home, but now that she's settled in we get to see her dance around when happy, romp around the living room in delight when she knows her foster family has come home, and chew on her favorite treats! Estelle does still have a little more improving to do and we're confident that she will continue to flourish with time. She is still working on her housebreaking skills, as it doesn't seem likely that she's ever been walked on a leash. She recently began enjoying being outside and going for short walks and is learning that using the potty while on leash is okay. She will continue to amaze her future family too!

Estelle has received a full veterinary workup. She is mostly blind due to untreated chronic dry eye (KCS) and requires daily over-the-counter lubricating drops to help keep her eyes feeling good. Because she can't see well, she can nip if startled, especially in new situations. Because of this, we think Estelle would do best in a home without small children. She has been spayed and had a dental cleaning and extractions. She also had a mammary tumor removed at the same time. Biopsy results showed that the tumor was cancerous but that it was fully excised so there's little chance of recurrence. 

Estelle is available for adoption through City of Elderly Love. She is spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. She is also negative for heart worm and lymes disease. Interested in adopting her? Visit www.cityofelderlylove.org to complete an online adoption questionnaire or email us at info@cityofelderlylove.org!