The mission at Pets with Disabilities is to promote adoption of dogs with disabilities - this includes providing vet care, a quality diet, love and exercise to any dog at the rescue until they find their new families.  But since Duke and Misty (the canine co-founders) were wheelchair dogs, we were drawn to help some very special dogs - dogs that will be spending their lives with us at the rescue.  We'd like to introduce you to our "rolling pack" of dogs - they each have remarkable spirits and a zest for life -but, they also need a little extraordinary care. 

Each one of them is looking for a "Heart Connection" to support their care - provide some spiritual energy to keep living the life of an unbroken spirit


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Jett

Meet our two-legged ambassador, Jett! Jett came to PWD as an 8 week old puppy with "birth defects" - missing his two front limbs. He was one of a litter of 3 puppies and kenneled with the other "normal" puppies, Jett was not doing well.  They got to the food faster and he couldn't play like they did.  We welcomed him into our home and it was love at first sight! Jett is remarkable. No one told him he had a disability - he plays with all the dogs, loves wrestling with his toys, hops to his water bowl and can now hop onto the couch for a good cuddle with his people. He reluctantly gets into his front cart - but, we are encouraging him to find the freedom it will provide him so he can begin to travel as the newest PWD ambassador.

We are thrilled to have this wonderful dog - with the lab energy and spirit - put smiles on our faces everyday and are thankful to share his journey with him.

Will you find a "Heart Connection" with Jett?

Jett found a Heart Connection made on behalf of Cindy for her team at Jefferson Health:
Kim, Laurie, Maria, Merle, Ron and Shiny

Jett has a heart connection with Ruby Braxton!


 

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Lucy

Meet our three-legged ambassador, Lucy! Lucy came to PWD from a shelter in South Carolina. She sustained a traumatic injury with her right front leg, and amputation was necessary. Lucy was extremely shy and slow to find comfort in her surroundings. She soon attached herself to Michael, and slowly her personality started to blossom into quite a confident pup. She became a very charismatic and a lover of everyone in her eye line - dog, cat, and human alike! She is extremely alert and intelligent, and loves to play ball with her wheelchair and able-bodied canine crew.

Lucy’s easy-going nature and friendliness make her a great ambassador for three-legged dogs. She attends many events with the PWD founders to help promote adoption of pets with disabilities and spread awareness beyond our current PWD community. Lucy’s forever-home is at the rescue, where we rely on her to help us continue this important work. We are so grateful she came into our lives!

Will you find a "Heart Connection" with Lucy? Please consider supporting Lucy’s continued care!

  Lucy found a Heart Connection with Leslie Seinfeld

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Hank

Hank came to PWD from our friends at Regional Animal Shelter with a missing paw, which he most likely lost to a hunting trap. Hank is a typical good-natured hound dog who enjoys all the good things in life: “his pack,” any and all food, sunbathing, and being outdoors. He is a natural protector and companion to the most vulnerable dog souls – you will often find him cuddling with Charlotte on the porch, relaxing with Pierce in the house, or sleeping on a dog bed with one of our resident felines.

Hank was designated as a PWD resident because despite his great personality, he also exhibited some serious destructive tendencies. Hank’s love of chewing extends beyond toys to sofas, wooden furniture, carpets, and anything else in his path. In his early days at the rescue, Hank had to spend a lot of time in his crate because he couldn’t be trusted alone. Luckily, in time we were able to understand his tendencies and develop a routine that keeps destruction at bay, and Hank is no longer in a crate! We are grateful to have this incredible warm soul in our PWD family.

Will you find a "Heart Connection" with Hank? Please consider supporting Hank!

Hank found a Heart Connection with Millie Groobey

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DUCHESS

Duchess,  aka "Big Mama"  was being fostered by Mike and Joyce and has wedged her way into their hearts.  She has come a long way since that first day back in early December!  Over the past months her sweet  personality has come thru. She is always wagging her tail and grown quite attached to Joyce, and her favorite pup is Hank!  (although not sure if Hank knows this) The cats adore her too, rubbing up against her and sleeping by her side. Welcome to PWD.  We all know Mike and Joyce are happy to be able to help another white German shepherd in honor of their founding pup Duke!

Duchess is a two year old, blind, white German Shepherd. She was born blind and has lived her entire life in an isolated, filthy, chain link kennel in California, along with 40 other dogs that were rescued. It was heart breaking to find out Duchess had been left behind, due to her disability, while so many of the other dogs were on their way to a better life. PWD was contacted and raised the funds to fly her from California to Maryland.

She is now adjusting slowly to a more controlled home environment. She is doing great and making daily progress. We think she did pretty much anything she wanted to for the past 2 years, so this has been quite a change for her. She is enjoying all her new canine and feline friends but is a bit unsure of humans. We will give her the time she needs to learn that humans are part of her world now.

Duchess found a Heart Connection with Millie Groobey - thank you!

Jane Gentile and Duchess have a Heart Connection - thank you!


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Princess

Meet Princess, a 7 year old 60 lbs. Aussie/lab mix who is deaf. Princess found herself in a rural Virginia Shelter after her fur mom passed away. She is an extremely smart and loving dog. Although she is deaf, she is alert and very tuned into her surroundings. Her recall is phenomenal, when we need her to return to the barn and settle in her apartment she returns quickly with just a simple hand command.

She even knows how to sit and give you her paw. (She will do anything for a treat!) She lives for her food, treats, and knuckle bones! She has been a very easy dog, house trained, good on a lead, sleeps a lot but does love to go out and explore, crate trained and a good car rider. She would be great as an only dog or with an older calm dog. Please consider making Princess part of your family

UPDATE: Princess was adopted and return to the rescue - a completely different dog. After her return to the rescue-  Princess has had a complete medical evaluation - and TIME to re-balance. Princess lost nearly 15 lbs and we now recognize the wonderful dog we knew. She did return with some behavior issues that are not caused by a medical issue, so we have decided to give Princess a permanent home here at PWD where she can live out her life with people that know how to manage her and that she trusts.  Welcome home, Princess.

Kelly, Dominic and Andrew Rende found a Heart Connection with Princess.

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Anna

Meet ANNA - a 26 lb Border collie/Terrier Mix.  We believe she originally came to MD on a transport out of Texas. She came to us very thin, without any vetting. She was also terrified of people, and new things. Since her arrival, she has been diagnosed with IBD - and it took months to get her digestive system in balance to allow her to gain weight. She is on a special food - and will be for the rest of her life. She spent some time in a foster home where her world became a LOT smaller - and it was  very good for her. She LOVES other dogs - and the 4 dogs in the foster home gained her trust and taught her that the world (and people) are not as scary as she thought. She does have a rear right leg that she doesn't use - but, she is not in pain and it does not hinder her walking or playing. She has vision in both eyes - although missing some pigment.

Once Anna returned from her foster home, she moved in with the resident dogs - and settled right in. We've decided due to her GI issues, she would find a forever home at PWD. She loves playing with Jett - and has found a trusted friend in Duchess,  aka "Big Mama". Welcome home Anna - we are happy to have you.

Will you make a heart connection with Anna? 

A Heart Connection has been made with Anna in memory of Nevadah Davis,  a woman who loved animals!

The Rollins "pack" have a heart connection with Anna.


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JULES

JULES was slated for euthanasia at a local shelter - PWD was her last resort. This little jack russell mix made it VERY clear she had plenty of life left to live and wanted out of the shelter! After months of daily care to her pressure wounds and bone infection and several visits to the specialist- we have made much progress.

Jules enjoys playing fetch with her toys daily & lounging with the beagles and resident cat Reggie at the Regal Beagle Senior home. You can't help but smile when you see her zoom, zoom, zooming around the yard in her wheelchair! She has become a self-appointed "welcoming committee" in the RBSH, happy to engage with any dog or human visiting. She is a love!

Jules daily care is extensive - more than most homes would be able to manage, so we have offered her a forever home at PWD.

Will you make a heart connection with Jules? 


Tate found a Heart Connection with Catriona Bagley - thank you!

Rayanne Benya has a Heart Connection with Tate

MEET TATE!

Please share Tate's story- He will need long term medical care!

Our local rescue colleagues asked us to accept Tate into our program. He had been previously treated for an un-diagnosed lung issue, and he desperately needed a quiet and calm place to live. Of course we said, “YES!” Tate fit perfectly into our senior home. He was doing great over the past couple weeks, until last Friday when things quickly went south. Tate stopped eating and could barely breathe. We rushed him to the ER where he received oxygen therapy, and a whole new set of medications, under the watchful eye of Dr. Guma, our Internal Medicine Doctor and Dr. Bonistalli and her ER staff were able to stabilize Tate enough that he was able to come home on Monday and we are so grateful.

Tate has a long road ahead of him but this boy is a fighter! He is not ready to give up, and neither are we. In order to help Tate, we are asking all of our PWD supporters to please pitch in with “T-Bills for Tate!” Ten and twenty dollar bills — and multiples of either —donated in Tate’s name. It’s amazing what we can do when we work together, so let’s AMAZE our Tate…… right back into good health! (click here to donate)

Will you make a heart connection with Tate - he needs several "Heart Connections"


Roxie found a Heart Connection with Courtney Sanders

MEET ROXIE!

Meet Roxie, a 5 year old Retriever/Pity mix. She weighs about 55 lbs. She is blind and diabetic. Roxie was relinquished to the shelter due to her medical needs. She is a sweet dog and has been an absolute champ about taken her medications and daily injections. Due to her fluctuating medical condition, we have decided PWD will be Roxie's forever home. Please consider helping with her medical bills.

Roxie was fostered by an incredible person and she has a lot of great things to say about this girl:
Roxie is a sweetheart searching for her forever home! She is a happy dog, and is almost always seen wagging her tail. Roxie is always happiest when she is with you, and is up for any activity -- whether she is your sidekick while doing yard work, your sous chef while cooking, or your snuggle buddy while watching tv. She is very loving, and isn't shy about asking for belly rubs. Her favorite pastime is cuddling on the couch (or attempting to sit in your lap!).

Roxie is intelligent and easily trained to the rules of your home (e.g, learning what furniture she's allowed to sit on, wiping paws before coming inside when it's muddy out, etc.). She enjoys going for walks, and does very well on a leash. She is also great riding in the car. Roxie is playful, and gets bursts of energy that result in her scooting around the room or yard. She enjoys chewing on a bone, but beware -- she destroys soft toys within a matter of minutes!

While Roxie is blind, you would never know it! She quickly learns and navigates her surroundings, and is very alert, relying heavily on her hearing and sense of smell. Roxie also has diabetes and requires 2x daily insulin shots as well as regular blood glucose testing; however, these activities couldn't be easier! She lies on her back during blood testing so you can easily access her paws for the test, and her insulin shot is simple to administer while she's eating her meals. Roxie is a rockstar when it comes to maintaining her health, and her tail continues to wag the whole time!

Roxie loves people, and has yet to meet a stranger! She enjoys being the center of attention among her human family, and but she can be possessive with toys and food around other dogs -- for these reasons, she is looking for a home where she can be the only pet. However, Roxie is all the dog you'll ever need, and the best friend anyone could ask for!

UPDATE! Roxie has just been diagnosed with GI disease along with her Diabetes. She requires a lot of medication and an expensive diet, and frequent visits to our internal medicine doctor, who has been key to managing both diseases, she has lost weight but we are successfully managing both diseases. Because of this new diagnosis Roxie will continue staying with us, unless we are able to find a LOCAL MEDICAL foster.

Will you make a heart connection with Roxie?


TY found a Heart Connection with Jessica Clark

TY found a Heart Connection with Donna Almquist, "In memory of Cinna".

Ty is 12 years old and has spent the last 4 years with us. Due to Ty’s ongoing medical needs and anxieties, we all decided it would be best for Ty to remain here with us. We feel his anxiety and bathroom habits might be too much in a home setting.

We all love Ty, at his age, he still loves to take walks in his wheelchair daily. We will continue to give him the care and patience he needs for the remainder of his life.

Will you make a heart connection with Ty? 


MEET TICY!

With a little TLC and her blood glucose under control she is finally gaining much needed weight and has pep in her step! She is making great progress! She is an entirely different dog from when she arrived here a month ago. She is getting stronger by the day and a bit more confident in her blindness. Hopefully we will be able to schedule her heartworm treatment soon.

She has already grabbed a lot of people’s hearts, and has been a great patient. It’s truly amazing she is still alive! Ticy has a long road with us and to add to her issues, she is also heartworm positive- a very preventable disease. We hope you can find it in your hearts to make a donation towards her extensive medical  and on-going care. Thank you and please share for Ticy

Ticy has decided she would like to stay at PWD for the remainder of her life. She visited several potential homes, and through no fault of her own, none of them were the forever home for Ticy - until she returned to PWD. She has moved into the founder's home and is doing well - happy she found her forever!

Will you make a heart connection with Ticy?


Meet Harley, a blind beagle with a forever-wagging tail and adventurous spirit. Harley came to PWD from a military family moving overseas, who did not have the ability to take him along. At PWD, we met a curious beagle who refused to let his blindness get in the way of his explorations or easy breezy take on life.

Harley was adopted into a great beagle-loving household where he loved to spend his days exploring his yard and laying in the sun with his canine and human family. He was known as the nurturer of his pack, always showing affection for his beagle buddies. After his caretaker’s unexpected passing in 2016, PWD welcomed Harley back into the rescue family, where he will be cared for throughout the remainder of his life.

As an aging senior dog, Harley is experiencing arthritis and we are preparing for new ailments that come with age. Please consider supporting Harley’s continued care, as we are devoted to providing him with the same great life that his Adopter had worked so hard to give him

 Harley found Heart Connections with Leslie Seinfeld - Thank You!
  Steve Baird & Buddy have a Heart Connection with Harley

Meet the PWD FELINES!  Understanding FIV-positive cats

Many of our dogs will encounter feline family members in their new homes. We make every attempt to test the dogs and set appropriate expectations for the new family in many areas, but specifically if they can live in harmony with a cat. FIV cats are unnecessarily overlooked in shelters - like many dogs with disabilities. We have adopted several FABULOUS FIV cats over the past 15 years.
Each have offered their services as "cat tester". 

The facts and "un-truths" about living with FIV cats:

  1. FIV is not contagious to dogs or humans
  2. FIV is spread via a deep bite wound during a fight between cats. If the cat gets along with other cats - no fights - no concerns
  3. FIV cats live a normal length life, full of energy. They just need to be monitored for infections and dental issues. But if they’re well cared for, they can be healthy, happy, wonderful pets
  4. FIV cats need wonderful homes too! Do your research, have an open mind and heart and find a new family member at your local shelter.

Newman arrived at PWD from a shelter in Maryland where he tested positive for FIV. Newman fits right in with his fellow dog and cats in our founders’ home. He is very affectionate and a great asset in assessing new dogs’ abilities to get along with felines… we are lucky to have this beautiful blonde guy here at PWD.

  Newman found a Heart Connection with Kimberly Martin Salamy - Thank You!

Reggie was rescued from a shelter in Baltimore City; he was an older cat who tested positive for FIV and needed a FIV-friendly rescue to step up on his behalf. When Reggie arrived at PWD, he was terrified of dogs and suffering from cuts and bruises and a deep slash in his face. We worked hard to socialize him, a painstaking process that was well worth the effort, as Reggie is living the life at our senior sanctuary – he sure is king of the (dog) pack! Reggie is a friendly cat who has been able to really find his footing here at the rescue.

Our feline friends are also looking for a "heart connection!" Please consider supporting the care of our cats living with FIV here at PWD!
We are grateful to be able to offer a home to these wonderful animals that often go un-adopted.


Pets with Disabilities - 635 Clay Hammond Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Phone: 443-624-9270 Email: petswithdisabilities@comcast.net

National Capital Area CFC Number 71315