G.O.B. was brought into our program to receive treatment for a broken back he suffered after being hit by a car. But, that has had absolutely no affect on his natural enthusiasm and love of life. G.O.B.’s future was not always so filled with hope though. Plucked from the euthanasia table just minutes before his time was up, G.O.B.’s opportunity to shine was just moments from being over.

G.O.B. strikes a pose

“When I brought this sweet boy back from San Antonio I was nearly in tears the whole time. Broken back, pulled straight out of the line for euthanasia. But as I drove with him sitting next to me in the front passenger seat, he scooted closer and closer, wrapped his arms around my arm to hang on, and let the air conditioner blow on his ears while he slept peacefully,” said Faith Wright, our Animal Programs director, as she reflected on the day G.O.B. was saved. “He made me realize what true strength and spirit is.”

There is no doubt a lot of fight in this little guy. He has a sophisticated and enduring spirit and does not let his injury get him down one bit. Once we got him, he was fitted for a wheelchair and immediately enrolled in physical therapy. He hasn’t stopped wiggling since. Those that have seen him cruise by in his wheelchair are shocked at how fast he is! He can go anywhere and do almost anything. And, that includes going to any home that is ready to appreciate a unique dog with a one-of-a-kind zest for life.

This month, we are featuring G.O.B. so everyone can see all he has to offer a future family. G.O.B. loves all people and other dogs, and probably cats too. The several times he has graced the cat building with his presence, he hasn’t seemed to mind the kitties in the least. He is also housetrained, a car-riding enthusiast, and a napping savant.

While we are still unsure of what a “full” recovery looks like for G.O.B., his regular therapy sessions are helping him continue to improve and he is regaining feeling in his back legs, as well as building up muscle mass. If you are interested in adopting this sweet boy, our medical team can talk through his conditions and recovery one-on-one with you.

G.O.B. embodies the best of qualities of dogs: grace and goodness, even when life makes it not so easy. Help G.O.B. find his people this month by sharing his story with your friends and family.  You can also help by donating towards the cost of his wheelchair and therapy sessions.

Featured in the video are APA! alumni Dr. Snowball (formerly Dr. Socks), Harley (formerly Dixie) and Flash. Here’s a bit more about the stars:

• Dr. Snowball: Living proof that cats with both FIV and FeLV can lead normal and happy lives! Dr. Snowball was saved from the euthanasia list in October and adopted by his lovely foster family. He now enjoys a spoiled life of cuddles, cat treats and drinking from the faucet.
• Harley: Harley beat parvo and never looked back. This sweet girl with the unforgettable ears truly lucked out in finding her forever family. When she’s not hogging attention from her parents, she loves playing frisbee and snuggling with her two big “brothers.”
• Flash: A true survivor, Flash is one of APA!’s greatest success stories. After being thrown off an overpass and subsequently being hit by a car, Flash was taken into our care and went into a loving foster home. Despite a broken pelvis, broken leg and nearly a year to heal, Flash is a healthy, happy boy who adores life and his family.

Check out our video submission and let us know what you think!

Vulcan is now in a loving foster home to get some extra TLC and continue his healing process. Thank you to everyone who donated and supported this boy!

Vulcan needs our help. This poor boy is in severe pain and needs to get out of the shelter quickly.

Our best guess as to how Vulcan got his injuries is that he got out during the New Year’s Eve fireworks and was hit by a car, leaving him with severe fractures that need immediate surgery. He is in so much pain that he bit someone, and now his life is at risk because of his deadline to get out of the Austin Animal Center.

We are looking for Vulcan’s owner, but in the meantime, need to raise at least $1,200 for his extensive surgery and would like to place him in foster after surgery to recover.

Can you help us to get this older boy out of the shelter ASAP and get him the care he so desperately needs? Every $1 helps!

Eeyore is part of our superhero boy posse.  Along with adoptees Brock & Zorro who have recently found homes of their own, he made up our sleek trio of brilliant, athletic, and handsome canines working hard to make the world a better place.  We suspect that this posse still secretly gets together in the night (a la Batman) to fight evils and rescue fair maidens.

But don’t worry, Eeyore will be snuggled back up next to you before you even realize he was gone.  These boys are stealthy and the lives they have the biggest magical impact on is that of their adopters…

What exactly makes Eeyore such a superhero?  Not only is he adorable on the outside, he’s got the personality to match.  Eeyore is a player, a cuddler, and a training rockstar.  He gets along great with people and dogs alike and loves making new friends.

He loves toys.

He loves to snuggle.

He behaves like the rockstar he is when out & about with his people.

And did we mention he has skills?  This boy has spent time in two of our very best behavioral foster homes and he’s got the resume to prove it!  No one sits more nicely, gets into a down faster, knows how to wait or leave it (he actually backs up when asked!), or performs his repertoire of awesome doggie skills with more gusto than our E-Dawg.  What would you expect from a bonafide superdog?

Eeyore is even such a good sport that he lets his crazy people friends accessorize him for special occasions.

We think he may have preferred the sweet BAD RAP Black Stout t-shirt to the feather lei, but Eeyore isn’t one to complain.

Perhaps Eeyore’s greatest superpower, however, is his magical powers of transformation and resilience.  This is Eeyore when he came to us.  Completely emaciated and very unsure about quite a lot of things.  In addition to his serious malnutrition, Eeyore had a heart condition that was going untreated.

This is Eeyore today.  The supehero dog that we all know and love.  He is on medication for his heart condition that will allow him to live a long, healthy life.  He’s in excellent physical shape – svelte, sleek, and lithe for peak superhero performance.

Most importantly, he is happy.  He is happy and he is 100% ready to find a home of his own.  Eeyore still has the worries every once in awhile.  He has some strange feelings about paper towels and cleaning products that we’ll never really know the source of.  But he has transformed from an emaciated boy full of anxiety to a healthy, happy, superdog ready to move in and give someone a million reasons to smile.  Is that someone you?

Email email hidden; JavaScript is required for more information or to set up a time to meet Eeyore!  You can also follow Eeyore and the other LFS dogs on Facebook!

George needs your help to make his Christmas wish come true.  The handsome, snow white pittie mix with the light green eyes is hoping for the chance to turn his luck around and make his future a bright one.

George came to the shelter as a puppy…an adorable roly poly puppy without the ability to hear.  Being deaf does not have to hold a dog back one bit.  But being deaf in a shelter brings added challenges.   Without a home of his own, it falls to APA!’s Dog Behavior Team to get George the support he needs – and we are determined to do just that.

Any dog who comes to the shelter as a young or adolescent puppy and does not get adopted quickly reaches a threshold where the shelter environment no longer works for them.  Growing up in the shelter is far from ideal and, even with all of the behavior support a dog is provided, they cannot stay in that environment indefinitely.

George came to APA! when he was about 5 months old.  He is now 9 months old.

Mini George…

…and Medium George both like to go on outings.

Mini George…

…and Medium George are both very intelligent, thoughtful boys.

And, Mini George…

…and Medium George both love to nap.

From the tiny puppy George was when he came to us, to the bigger adolescent pup George is today, one thing has always been clear; this is a very special dog who deserves to live a wonderful life filled with all of the happy, normal doggie experiences.

Unfortunately, it has also become clear to us that George is not on the path to that life right now and that we need to intervene and change his trajectory.  We have done our best for George with our in-shelter behavior program and it’s time to step up our game.

George has the opportunity to participate in a 16 day intensive foster style board and train program through The Canine Center for Training and Behavior.  Unlike most traditional board & trains where a dog stays at the shelter or training facility in a crate or kennel and is taken out a few times a day to be worked with, George will be living at four separate trainers’ homes.  He will receive 1:1 training support in an environment that allows him to relax and just be a dog; something George has become too stressed in the shelter environment to allow himself to do.

Upon completion of this program, George will transition to a foster home with APA! where he will continue working the program and building the skills he’s learned at TCCTB until adoption.  What’s more, he will be far better prepared to thrive in his adoptive home when his people finally find him.

George’s foster/train program will cost us $500 and we can tell you he is worth every penny and more.  Please help us raise the money to get this special dog the support he needs to find his way home!

*Follow George and the rest of the Louie’s Fresh Start dogs on Facebook!

GOB was saved off of the euthanasia table by our rescue team, just as he was to be put down for severe injuries and paralysis due to being hit by a car. But we knew he could be fixed.

GOB’s back may have been broken, but his spirit was not. Despite being completely paralyzed in both back legs, GOB would still drag himself around the floor to get to the nearest person so he could get some love.

He’s now recovering from recent surgery to fix his legs and is able to stand on his own, with a little help getting there. His balance is coming along and muscles tone is rapidly improving, but our veterinary staff has recommended GOB continue to receive professional physical therapy to help him continue to improve.

GOB dreams of the day when he can run through a dog park – will you help that dream come true?