HERCULES (Be sure to read his profile information...)

Hercules has been with us for several months now, and you might wonder why he hasn't been adopted. <br/><br/> His first two months were spent building up his strength for surgery, then recovering from surgery. Once he was ready to find a responsible home, there were many people interested. <br/><br/>* The first challenge was Hercules having clearly struggled with the physical effects of long term neglect for many years. Some of those issues will require lifelong medical treatment that an adopter would have to be willing/able to absorb financially and physically (which is typically a two person job for his eye drops alone). Hercules is currently on another round of antibiotics to get a continuing infection under control again. <br/><br/>We are looking for an applicant with an above average vet care history for previous pets. Proper healthcare for him would involve quarterly bloodwork to monitor his anemia. That care would have to start as soon as he's adopted. <br/><br/>* Hercules is also a senior who is quite active now, but will require the medical care typical of large breeds (hips, knees, etc) in the not so distant future. And adopter would need the physical strength needed to lift a dog who weighs 150 pounds. <br/><br/>Most homes looking for a senior dog have expected more of a couch potato, Right now Herc is very alert, likes to investigate everything and is very mobile. <br/><br/>* Herc's biggest challenge has been that he is not a good fit in a home with other animals. He is great on walks and has been great with our skilled volunteers when out in public around other dogs. That seems to be where it ends though. A home with other animals would not be best for him or for the other pets involved. <br/><br/>Those tend to be the most common reasons his meets have not resulted in an adoption. We're confident the right home is out there for him, but we take our commitment to finding the right one seriously. . <br/><br/><br/>*** Verifiable large breed experience required. HERCULES is currently 150 pounds. We will not consider homes who do not have verifiable experience as a long-time primary caretaker of a large dog.<br/><br/>This gentle giant arrived after he’d wandered through a resident’s yard. <br/>The condition of his body told us he had lived in a state of neglect for a very long time. <br/><br/>His eyes were so severely infected due to a congenital defect that wasn't resolved by the people who should have taken care of it. Shelter volunteers made sure his eyes were repaired and then took on the task of administering his many medications twice a day. He may be without the pain of constant abrasion, but damage was already sustained to the eyes. <br/><br/>His ears were so infected and swollen, his doctor couldn't see into his ear canal. He couldn't hear, which also added to his discomfort. This will likely be a lifelong struggle for Herc and any new home due to how long it had been allowed to go untreated. Volunteers for the shelter made sure he made it to his appointments for ear treatments. <br/><br/>Then there was the infected wound on his neck. It was determined to be a bite wound and needed a surgical intervention. <br/><br/>There were also the large, thick calluses on his front elbows that had cracked open, seeping pus. His veterinarian was able to see bone underneath. <br/><br/>One paw was very swollen with suspected cellulitis. Another paw had infected cuts (also oozing pus) between his toes. <br/><br/>We wish we could say these issues were repaired with surgery and medication, but the truth is that most will have a lasting effect. <br/><br/>Despite all he's been through, he’s a well mannered dog with a good temperament. He gives soft kisses you just wouldn’t expect from a dog the size of a young lion. <br/><br/>How is he with other dogs? Herc behaves around the dogs he knows at the shelter enough to walk by them without any difficulty, though eventually he will become nervous around another dog. He reacts more quickly to larger dogs however. As one of the injuries he arrived with was presumed to be a bite wound that wasn't healing, and then his affected vision, Hercules seems to feel threatened by dogs. He may react positively at first, but his discomfort soon becomes evident. <br/><br/><br/>Where is he at medically? In addition to his physical needs as a very large dog, Herc is a senior who was treated for multiple chronic medical issues that will return if not kept up on. His ear and eye issues will require upkeep in the form of a routine monitor by a veterinarian. It's likely he will need eye drops for life. Anyone considering adoption should plan to have him immediately set up with their own full service veterinarian and plan on quarterly visits to monitor his continued anemia (likely the result of the long term infection he survived). <br/><br/>The broken calluses on his elbows took over a month to show improvement and would reverse in the wrong environment. When we met him, the bone underneath was visible. <br/><br/>He's also entering his senior years as a Giant breed, and that brings additional medical responsibilities to keep him healthy and comfortable. <br/><br/>We recommend that any interested homes also research the Boerboel breed prior to applying (as a first step). While he has a gentle nature, he is a powerful dog who could accidentally injure even an adult. Experience is mandatory. <br/><br/><br/>Online Dog Adoption Forms: : https://wacshelter.com/adopt-a-dog/<br/>Website for general questions: www.wacshelter.com<br/>Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wacshelter/<br/>Email: wacvolunteers@gmail.com<br/><br/>** Be sure to check out our FACEBOOK page for day to day updates on our<br/>cats and dogs.<br/><br/>Canine adoption fee includes:<br/>Spay/neuter<br/>Age appropriate vaccinations<br/>Deworming<br/>Flea prevention (if required)<br/>Heartworm screening/monthly prevention<br/><br/>** Volunteer dog walkers work with our dogs 7 days a week. What your adoption fee also includes is beginning housetraining, leash walking and a good understanding of the kind of home each dog would thrive in.<br/>ADOPTION FEE: $ 150<br/><br/>"People who say money can't buy you happiness,<br/>have never paid an adoption fee...."

Hercules has been with us for several months now, and you might wonder why he hasn't been adopted.

His first two months were spent building up his strength for surgery, then recovering from surgery. Once he was ready to find a responsible home, there were many people interested.

* The first challenge was Hercules having clearly struggled with the physical effects of long term neglect for many years. Some of those issues will require lifelong medical treatment that an adopter would have to be willing/able to absorb financially and physically (which is typically a two person job for his eye drops alone). Hercules is currently on another round of antibiotics to get a continuing infection under control again.

We are looking for an applicant with an above average vet care history for previous pets. Proper healthcare for him would involve quarterly bloodwork to monitor his anemia. That care would have to start as soon as he's adopted.

* Hercules is also a senior who is quite active now, but

Hercules has been with us for several months now, and you might wonder why he hasn't been adopted.

His first two months were spent building up his strength for surgery, then recovering from surgery. Once he was ready to find a responsible home, there were many people interested.

* The first challenge was Hercules having clearly struggled with the physical effects of long term neglect for many years. Some of those issues will require lifelong medical treatment that an adopter would have to be willing/able to absorb financially and physically (which is typically a two person job for his eye drops alone). Hercules is currently on another round of antibiotics to get a continuing infection under control again.

We are looking for an applicant with an above average vet care history for previous pets. Proper healthcare for him would involve quarterly bloodwork to monitor his anemia. That care would have to start as soon as he's adopted.

* Hercules is also a senior who is quite active now, but will require the medical care typical of large breeds (hips, knees, etc) in the not so distant future. And adopter would need the physical strength needed to lift a dog who weighs 150 pounds.

Most homes looking for a senior dog have expected more of a couch potato, Right now Herc is very alert, likes to investigate everything and is very mobile.

* Herc's biggest challenge has