Sparrow

So far, we have seen Sparrow’s heart in what he did on his way to safety. Sparrow was transported to freedom with another young male GSD that was suffering with an undiagnosed broken hip (Hudson). Sparrow reached out to give and to get reassurance. Sparrow had his eye on Hudson during the entire ride in the car, licking him through the wires of the crates, asking for reassurance that things were going to be ok, and giving what he could to ease his pain. That is the heart of a fine young dog.

Sparrow is a 10 month old male that has spent so much time in a crate, that his legs have not grown straight or strong. We don’t yet know the level of discomfort, but carrying his weight around on joints that are contorted can’t be comfortable.

After waiting so patiently in his crate, he is now in the big world, dealing with new experiences at every turn. Before, what he saw was the bars of his crate and the feet of people passing by. He heard distant laughter and closer harsh words. Now he is staying in a nice kennel facility, with real floors, room to move around and yards to play in. He is being showered with love and attention, but he is beyond scared. Things that scare him include being looked at, being approached like he is going to be touched, walking on floors and any sensation on his feet. He definitely expects the worst. He tries his best to be invisible, cowering to the floor and crawling so as not to cause offense.

What Sparrow needs is time for his expectations to catch up with his new life. He needs a loving and gentle foster or forever home that is a match for his good heart.

Update 5/16/10
There have been a lot of firsts for Sparrow in the past few weeks, but none as big as the one he got last night, a FOSTER HOME. So many things we watch our own canine companions do and take for granted, we watch in amazement at the innocence of Sparrow as he does those things for the first time. Last night he actually got to go inside a home, a real home, complete with dog beds, people beds, and probably most important for him, three other dogs, two sisters and one very large brother, who look a lot like him to teach him what to do now.

The hardest step for Sparrow was crossing that threshold. His foster sister tried her best, going back and forth, trying to encourage him to cross that line; but it was obvious that being in the house was not something Sparrow had been allowed to do in his past life. He paced back and forth, watching from outside, approaching the door and cowering, until finally, with a little gentle help from his human friends, Sparrow took that first step and was rewarded with a warm and inviting home, complete with his first real family. He found a toy, a bed, and he was home.

Sparrow's next first will be learning that it's okay to eat from his bowl. Like a lot of dogs who have never had a balanced diet, Sparrow is used to having whatever scrap of food was available tossed on the floor; so something as simple as a bowl and a real meal can be so alien that he would go hungry before facing that monster. So he's starting out slowly, a nice not so scarey plate that is close to the floor, filled with some yummy food.

Sparrow had some time to run with his foster siblings and loved it. He chased and enjoyed being chased, but his activity has to be monitored by his family. For this unassuming dog will power through and endure the pain to enjoy the life he now has. We are still trying to raise the funds for his regenerative treatment which will allow him to run pain free, but we have not raised enough yet. If you have any extra to give, even a small amount, please consider helping our little Sparrow get his wings.

Update 7/27/10
Thanks to the donations from all of Sparrow’s angels, he was able to undergo cell regeneration therapy. Today he lives pain free without pain medication. What did his treatment involve? Pictures are worth a thousand words, and some of the procedure are attached. Sparrow under went surgery early in the morning to remove adipose tissue (fat) from his abdomen. This tissue was then hand-delivered by courier to a laboratory that removes stem cells from that tissue and process it. Several hours later, the stem cells were returned to the surgeon where they were injected into each of his elbows and his hips. These healthy cells attach themselves to the tissues in the body and begin replicating. The end result, healthy cartilage is beginning to form. It was a long day of surgeries for him, but as you can tell, he got a lot of attention and a nice cozy bed and blanket to recover with between procedures. Sparrow’s surgeon sees a lot of dogs each day and has seen many many dogs over her 30 years of practice, but the first thing she wanted to say to everyone was THANK YOU so much for what you did to help this little guy. She said he was the sweetest German Shepherd she had ever met.

Thirty days after the operation, Sparrow went back for his first check-up. His doctors were beaming. They said that “If Sparrow has done this well in 30 days, the stem cell companies are going to be over the moon come 6 months from now. But at this pace, the recovery won’t take six months.” The doctor’s orders are to keep doing what we're doing in terms of Sparrow’s care and treatment, which include walking on a leash outside and low impact on his joints as much as possible indoors. He needs to continue to take it easy so that the tissue is not damaged and will continue to regenerate. His other comment, “Sparrow is as strong as an ox.”

Sparrow has now been approved to go to swim therapy to help him build muscle. He absolutely loves his foster home and all of his foster sisters and brothers. He follows his big brother around in the morning to water multiple spots. He would run, jump and wrestle with the other dogs to his delight if allowed, but that will have to wait. He now plays with toys and can catch. He loves to lay on his dog bed. And he has discovered the joy of taking his medication, “Peanut Butter.” He actually looks forward to it each morning. He loves to follow his foster parents around and could easily be their shadow.

Sparrow is ready for a home now, so he wants to put in his Christmas list. He would like a home with another dog to play with as he does love to play and loves the companionship. A home where he has a human companion during the day would be great as he loves to hang out. Being an only dog at home alone for more than a couple of hours would not be good for Sparrow. And crating for long periods of time is out of the question. He has spent enough time in a crate in his young life already.

Pictures do speak a thousand words. Enjoy. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing Sparrow stand tall, lay among his friends, with a smile on his face, the fear now gone. Thank you, everyone.

Puppies are a life-long commitment. They need time, training, vet care and healthy feeding to become good canine citizens. Don't even think of adopting a puppy unless you intend to invest the time and money and commitment required, and you can expect to lose a few good shoes along the way!

If you are interested in meeting Sparrow, please contact Jordan via email at jkeilty@cox.net. Don't forget to fill out our online application.

The minimum adoption donation ranges from $300 to $400. This amount only partially covers the cost of veterinary care, boarding fees, and other miscellaneous expenses involved in the temporary care and adoption of our dogs and is tax deductible.

Prior to placement, all dogs will be spayed or neutered, receive current vaccinations, and are usually microchipped. If not, arrangements will be made on an individual basis. Special consideration may be given to those willing to adopt older dogs or dogs with physical problems.

Donate today using PayPal! Help us save dogs!