Highlander Australian Shepherd Kiowa, OK

Highlander's Story
-Written by Highlander, a 6-week-old, 7lb male Aussie mix.
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It was so dark. I wanted out. I cried. I was so hungry. I cried. Where was I? What was happening? It was so cramped. My feet and tail were always being sucked on, but I could hardly get onto my siblings because I was doing the same to them. We were SO HUNGRY. We tried to nurse on any limb we could find. That was all we could do in the dark and cramped space. I tried to be strong. I really did. But how can you be strong when you are left with nothing? How can you be strong when you are taped in a cardboard box with your siblings? How can you be strong when the people who were supposed to love you...put you in that situation. At only 4 weeks, someone decided that I was worthless to them. They threw my siblings and I into a box, taped it up, and dumped as by the dumpster.

I don't know how long I was there. It felt like forever. Thankfully, someone had discovered and taken us to the animal shelter. Sadly, the shelter is always full of other animals that have been abandoned. And when there are so many animals in one place...certain diseases have a chance to thrive. The shelter tried hard to find us rescue placement so we wouldn't be exposed to anything. Thankfully, this rescue heard our, plea. It wasn't long after that we ended up in an amazing foster home.

It was quickly discovered that we had some serious fur loss on the end of our tails and paws. A trip to the vet confirmed that it was because we had all been nursing one another so bad. The vet was concerned about the damage that had been done to the skin. There was some pretty severe muscle damage, and they were concerned that our skin may turn necrotic. If that happened, if our skin died we were looking at the possible amputation of our tails and toes. Turns out the nightmare still wasn't over, now at only 4 weeks old...our future already pointed to possible amputation. This rescue, and especially our foster mom wasn't going to give up on us though. Every day she made sure that she was putting on stuff to help heal our skin along with the meds that had been sent home from the vet. For some of us, our fur is starting to grow back. For others, the skin looks good but has no sign of fur growth yet. And then others the skin has started to scar and will probably never have fur grow back. However, at least none of us are facing amputation!

I was quite nervous when I first entered my foster home. My siblings and I really didn't move around much. We should have still been with our mom for woofing out loud! However, as time went by we realized how nice our foster mom was. We discovered toys. We learned that we would be fed several times a day and were no longer starving. Today, I am your typical playful puppy!

I love to play with toys, I love to play with my siblings, and I especially love to eat! I am still a babe so am not potty trained yet. Right now, I spend my time in the sunroom with access to some of the living room with a puppy playpen. I am on the more laid-back side compared to my siblings but that doesn't mean that I don't love to play! I do well with other dogs and given my age would probably do fine with cats. I would love to be a best friend to a kiddo out there, however I do have sharp puppy teeth and claws. So, they will need to be at least 5 years old or older.

I may be young but I have already been through quite the ordeal. I cannot fathom what my siblings and I had done to deserve what happened to us. We were just babies, heck we still are! Things are different now though. We are now surrounded by love and are all excited to find our forever families.

I am looking for a family that is home a lot. I would love a family that is a mix of calm and playful. Someone who is looking for a puppy that will interact with them, but also likes to cuddle. I have already been cast out once and I never want to go through that again. So, please...if you apply for me...please make sure that you can give me forever. I beg of you. If you cannot promise that you will keep me no matter what, then let someone else adopt me who will. I am a very special boy. I am a survivor and I deserve the very best! If you are the family that can and will give that to me, please apply to adopt me at
https://www.pyrpawsandfluffytailsrescue.com/adoption-app

Once this app comes in, it will be sent on to my foster family. This is to help ensure that not only am I a good fit for you but that you are also a good fit for me! ?

I am currently residing in Sand Springs, OK. If you have fallen in love with me and are out of state, how about a road trip? I won't go on a long transport, so the only way I am relocating to another state...is if we are in that car together ;)

Now I know that you may have fallen in love with me, but I am not quite ready to go home yet. I won't be ready to go home with you until around the end of August. I hope that you will still apply to adopt me though, that way after my final vetting with this rescue I will already have a family waiting! ♥

My adoption fee is $300.
That will include two sets of puppy shots and wormings. I will also have had a bordetella. I will be micro-chipped, have a fecal done, be de-wormed, be spayed/neutered, and will be current on heart-worm and flea/tick prevention.
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EPILOGUE
-Below is an excerpt from Highlander's foster family.

"Highlander is a total love bug. He can melt you with his eyes. He is more laid back than some of the others. Loves to explore but also loves your attention. He plays well with the others. Likes toys. Does okay with baths. Highlander is a cuddle bug until something catches his attention. Then he wants down. He has decided outside is fun to explore!"