Charlotte’s Story By Sherry Silk When an elderly Chihuahua was picked up as a stray from Hillsborough County Animal Services in February, who would have thought she would end up 6 weeks later having her very own photo shoot? She has somewhat of a unique story. When her 5 day stray-hold was up at Animal Services and no one came to look for her, we received a call from one of their staff. They asked if HSTB would please find a special home for the elderly dog. Pam Backer, our Director of Operations, agreed to take her into our adoption program. When she arrived at HSTB, I was instantly in love. She was very sweet and would come up to the front of the cage and lick my finger. When I opened the cage door, she would jump into my arms. I named her Charlotte. When I brought her over to my office that was the first time that I saw her disability. I was shocked to see how badly bowed her back legs were. They were extremely deformed and when she sometimes walked, she would hoist her back legs over her back and walk on her front 2 legs. Our veterinarian felt like she either had a severe untreated injury when she was younger or she was born with this disability. She had adapted quite well and it did not slow her down at all. She was not in any pain when she ran down the hall. On top of that problem, she also had a skin condition with thinning hair and a tumor on the top of her head! She had been bred many, many times so that her abdomen was sagging. Our veterinarian spayed Charlotte and removed the tumor from her head and stitched her up. She came through surgery with flying colors. Next, we enlisted Lisa Presnail from South Tampa Photography to do a full photo shoot for Charlotte. We figured she would need all the help she could get to find a home. Then we found her a wonderful foster home to keep her until she was medically released for adoption.
Charlotte posing on her well deserved day of beauty!! Thanks to Martha Murray for her lovely outfit!
Bonita, the foster mom, also had a Chihuahua. It wasn’t too long before we got the call that this family, and their resident dog Quentin, loved Charlotte and they weren’t bringing her back. She had found her special home, Bonita was adopting her! This is just one story of a dog that was unwanted and now is loved. These are the stories that make my job such a pleasure. I am so lucky to work for an organization that gives thousands of animals a chance at a new life and Charlotte is just one of those stories. I hope you will attend Tuxes and Tails this year. Charlotte will grace our runway so you’ll get a chance to meet her!
Photos courtesy of South Tampa Photography
Charlotte at her new home with her brother Quentin and in their Easter outfits. Making Tracks • Newsletter of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay
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