Oliver

Oliver is a year old, neutered male, weighing approximately 9 1/2 pounds. He was rescued from North County Humane, underwent surgery for a broken wrist (thanks to Dr. Sarit Dhupa at California Veterinary Specialists). Below are photos of Oliver, before surgery (with Jan) then after surgery and finally after his cast had been removed. He is mostly Maltese, but may also have some Bichon or some kind of terrier in his lineage. This young boy has a ton of energy, likes other dogs, and loves snuggling and having a human to sleep with. He is currently living in a group rescue home with other available rescued dogs in Orange County, CA. His wrist has healed and should present him no problems, although he needs to take it a little easy for a while. Read some of Oliver's antics below, and learn how we found him. If you'd like to have Oliver in your life, contact PetFinder.

Note: The AMA, like all rescue groups, are in desperate need of foster homes. Can you help? Because of the bad economy, there are large numbers of dogs being left at shelters. Without fosters to help, many of the dogs will be put down. To learn more about Maltese rescue, or to become a foster or adoptive parent, contact one of the American Maltese Association's Rescue Committee members. Click here to learn more about Maltese dogs.

Well, our little Oliver is a typical man ~ LOL He now owns the place. He is out of the hospital area now, while I am downstairs. He loves it, but my other foster (Winter) is a bit annoyed, as Oliver takes his favorite spot on the couch.

Oh yes, Oliver makes himself at home. I'm waiting for him to take over the remote for the TV ~ LMAO Even I will have to draw the line there ~ hahahaha

He's doing amazing. What a happy, snuggly boy. He sleeps in bed with us (me and the other doggies). It's a king-size bed, so the others have their "favorite" spots, where they get comfy. Well, Oliver's favorite
spot is on my head, face, arm, etc. Sooo funny. I keep moving him, just a little bit, so I can adjust and get comfy. Before I can adjust, he's back in the same spot. So I've learned to be very quick about it. Yep, I hurry up. I set him off to the side, quickly turn over, get comfy, then he lands on my head.
You see, I have to turn over (on my stomach) so he's on the back of my head. This is the only way
I can breath ~ LMFAO

And yes, his cast is still smacking me in the face. It's to laugh at. He's crackin' me up.

Oliver's Story

One Friday morning not long ago, I got a call from a San Diego Bichon rescuer. Could I help? she asked. Thus began the story of Oliver, a young Maltese pup at a local shelter. Here is what American Maltese Rescue Coordinator West, Edie Gobbi, wrote for the AMA newsletter about Oliver's poignant journey. My thanks to Edie for all she did for Oliver and for allowing me to share what she wrote. Oliver needs a forever home. I hope you'll read on. Also note that Sugar and Cocoa and many other Maltese are available for adoption. Check them out at PetFinder.com.

Happy Tails - Oliver Says Thank-you!!!

Oliver is a one year old Maltese that has touched many lives. His joyeous loving attitude, no matter who he is dealing with, brings out the best in all that meet him.

The first week in January, Oliver was surrendered by his family to North County Humane Society. He had a broken wrist (type 2 fracture in the growth plate) and his family could not afford his surgery to fix this.

The surgery Oliver needed was beyond the scope of the vets at the Humane Society. The cost of having a Specialist perform the surgery was also more then the Humane Society could afford and Oliver was scheduled to be euthanized that day, Friday, Jan 9th.

The employees and vets at the shelter were broken hearted at the thought of taking this sweet, happy, loving, young dog's life. Oliver had to be in severe pain and still licked every face within reach and wrapped paws on arms and necks of all the caregivers.

The shelter called a Bichon rescue group hoping to find a miracle for this boy.

Marti Cowell, founder of Bichonfurfriends, contacted Jan Rasmusen (author of the book Scared Poopless), to see if she had any contacts or connections to help Oliver.

Jan contacted Joanie Carqueville and Joanie contacted me to see if the American Maltese Association could/would help. Joanie was able to contact LaDonna Mosley to accept Oliver as our AMA rescue and then Jan contacted the Shelter who agreed to hold off euthanizing him until we could get him. We also needed to find a surgeon and a foster home to care for him.

Jan contacted her dogs' surgeon, Dr. Sarit Dhupa from California Veterinary Specialists, who agreed to see Oliver on the following Monday to evaluate and to perform the surgery as needed. Dr. Dhupa was also willing to go above and beyond for this boy and to reduce the fee's for the extensive surgery and neuter. We are very greatful for his capable and generous help.

Joanie Carqueville and I spent two days on the phone making call after call (mostly Joanie, she knows more people than I do) trying to locate a foster home that would be willing and able to give Oliver the kind of rehab care he would need after surgery. I sent out an appeal on the internet to all the Maltese and rescue groups that I am involved with and Cathy Arneson picked it up from there and sent it on to another group she is on. It was on this last group that we found our wonderful foster, Deb Padilla. Deb agreed to become an AMA foster home (she has fostered for years) and to do all the after care that Oliver would require.

Monday morning, Jan 12th, Jan Rasmusen made the long drive to pick up Oliver from the shelter. Before leaving the Humane Society, each employee had to come out to kiss and hug Oliver and to wish him well. Jan then delivered him to Dr. Dhupa, who performed the surgery that afternoon.

Oliver continued to win the hearts of everyone at the vet hospital also. When it was time for him to be released, Dr. Dhupa brought Oliver out, who was giving kisses and hugs with his paw, broken or not (see photo).

A friend of Deb's (Lina) took the next leg of Oliver's journey and picked him up to make the100 mile trip to his foster home with Deb.

Oliver has taken each change in his life in stride (even with a broken wrist and using only 3 legs) and won the hearts of everyone who has come in contact with him.

Deb tells us he is a happy playful boy, and now that he is completely healed, loves to play with toys and her other fosters.

While he was healing he slept with Deb in her bed and being the velcro boy he is, slept up by her head. Having a loving dog with a cast on a front leg, you can imagine how many times Deb was awakened with a knock on the head from a cast.

The next step for Oliver now that he is fully recovered will be to find the perfect forever home for him. He has now been listed on Pet Finder and we hope his final journey will begin soon. This boy has never met a stranger he didn't love and will be a loving treasure to some lucky family.

Saving one small Maltese boy took the efforts of so many.Thank you to Jan Rasmusen for her help seeking out Joanie, her surgeon and helping with transport. Joanie Carqueville for her many hours calling and searching for a foster home, and helping me get all the necessary components that we needed to help this special boy. Ladonna Mosley for her help and support. To Dr Dhupa for his caring, and taking the time and compassion to help a rescue.

Special thanks to Deb Padilla who opened her home and heart to Oliver, taking on the special needs of a dog that requires medical care.

Thanks to all the loving hands that this boy has passed through, that found him so special and could not turn away from his needs. ABOVE ALL, my heartfelt thanks to the members of AMA that support and contribute to the AMA rescue fund, that made saving the life of one small dog possible.

*****

Note from Jan: The AMA, like all rescue groups, are in desperate need of foster homes. Can you help? Because of the bad economy, there are large numbers of dogs being left at shelters. Without fosters to help, many of the dogs will be put down. Here are links to the Maltese Rescue Committee Members across the US.

Learn more about the breed on my Maltese information page.