Helping pets with special needs.

2021 is in full swing at 4 Paws 4 Life Rescue. We’ve already received 109 dogs and cats from high-kill shelters and have had 99 successful adoptions. We’re off to a great start!

We also have many vulnerable pets in our care that need special attention. We'd like to introduce them to you.

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Gerald might be the cutest English Bulldog puppy to ever exist! Sadly, he is fecal and urine incontinent with little to no feeling in his back legs. The neurologist suspects Spina Bifida.

Gerald could live a full life, regardless of his handicap but is at higher risk to develop secondary issues.

He's currently in foster care and has a few adoption prospects who come with experience caring for pets with special needs similar to his. For more information about Gerald, please visit his profile.

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Puppy and her sister, Pup (adopted), were rescued by their neighbors who were concerned for their

well-being. The woman asked the owner if she could have them and offered to get them medical care. He agreed. They were then relinquished to one of our partners in Texas to help find them caring homes.

We noticed Puppy was limping when they arrived in December. Her vet exam and x-rays indicated she had an old elbow fracture that was causing her extreme pain and discomfort. It would likely worsen over time without amputation.

Puppy's surgery was successful and her wish for a forever home came true in early 2021 when she found her forever home at 5 months old.

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At 13-years old, a stray in the streets of Texas, with heartworm, Carson didn't have much of a chance of making it out alive. At the top of the list to be euthanized in a high kill shelter, 4 Paws 4 Life rescued him and brought him to Colorado.

Carson is undergoing heartworm treatment at the expense of the rescue. He found his forever home on January 10th. Enjoy your retirement years Carson!

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It was a miracle that 5-year-old Sugar ever survived the streets of Texas at only 4 lbs.

Shortly after her arrival, she started to limp and appeared to be in pain. Unfortunately, COVID restrictions delayed her diagnosis.

Earlier this month, she had a successful surgery for a luxating patella. She's now recovering well with her forever family. We wish you a speedy recovery Sugar!

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Rambo, a beautiful English Bulldog, was relinquished by his owner.

He had cherry eye and a large growth in his ear causing a severe ear infection.

On January 16th, Rambo had surgery to rectify his cherry eye, remove the growth in his ear and was neutered. He's ready now for his forever family to help him recover. For more information on Rambo, visit his profile.

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Homeless dogs are always at higher risk for injuries and Natalie was no exception. She was picked up after being hit by a car in Texas.

We knew when we agreed to take her that she needed additional medical attention on her leg. The

vet exam and x-ray confirmed that the fracture had already healed and surgery wouldn't be required. We celebrated!

Sadly, a few days later, we found blood in her urine. A full body x-ray and ultrasound ruled out internal injuries but a urinalysis confirmed she has crystals in her urine.

Natalie is on a special diet and will be re-tested after 30 days. If the problem persists, she'll require exploratory surgery.

Natalie is still in search of her forever home. Please visit her profile for more information about her.

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Gizmo was brought to his vet for pneumonia and abandoned when diagnosed with a heart murmur.

4 Paws 4 Life took him in and scheduled a visit with the cardiologist right away. Pulmonic Stenosis

was confirmed and although there is a procedure that can help, Kiko is not a good candidate due to the severity of his condition.

Dogs with severe pulmonic stenosis develop clinical signs of exercise intolerance, fainting, right sided congestive heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms, and rarely sudden death.

Kiko will be on medication for his entire life but that didn't stop him from finding love. His adopter was particularly drawn to him because she also has a heart condition.

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At just 3 months old, Ford had a rough start in life. Never mind that it began inside a shelter environment but to top that off, he developed upper respiratory after he finally arrived to Colorado.

After further examination, he was referred to a cardiologist and was sadly diagnosed with a physiologic murmur. When the murmur is physiologic, no treatment is required and the prognosis is generally good to excellent. Ford could live a full life!

Despite his health challenges, Ford received the best Christmas gift ever! He was adopted on December 24. Congratulations Ford!

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Sally came from a high-kill shelter in Texas. She had her own list of health issues that manifested after she arrived.

Her foster reported a weeping eye. Her examination confirmed entropion, as well as infected anal

glands and a possible heart murmur. She was treated with medication and an appointment was made for her to visit a cardiologist.

The cardiologist diagnosed her with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy. At the age of one, she is at high risk of sudden death but also could live for many years to come.

Sally is safe, happy and very much loved in her new forever home. Congratulations Sally! You deserve this.

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Thanks to supporters like you, we are able to rescue so many animals, including those with special needs. By far, medical care is the largest expense we incur year over year. The dogs noted here don't include all the healthy ones that need to be vaccinated, altered, dewormed and undergo exams for minor issues. This month alone, we received 6 dogs into our Heart to Heart Program which will result in roughly $4K in heartworm treatment.

Animals with special needs are often overlooked because of the high costs involved in helping them. Your gift today will have an immediate impact on the lives we save, regardless of their health status or condition.

Can these animals count on your support?

Sincerely,

Tina Miller

Executive Director

p.s. Please consider a monthly gift of $10.00 to support more animals. You can cancel anytime.