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🚨 Featured Rescue In Need Of Donations 🚨

Charlie is the epitome of a warrior. From the moment he came into this world, he was determined to overcome the odds and become a force to be reckoned with!

Charlie was the runt of the litter and struggled with feeding. He was bottle and hand-fed for weeks- but he grew stronger every day and was thriving!

Unfortunately, Charlie had another setback thrown his way when he was still just a small fry. He had an unfortunate encounter with a vehicle that resulted in a serious injury to his legs. Despite the injury, Charlie continued to grow and do puppy things until he found himself again getting into a skirmish with a vehicle. This time, Charlie didn’t bounce back quite so quickly. Unfortunately, his family was not able to provide the treatment he needed to address his injuries. They made the painful decision to contact Northeast Ohio Collie Rescue in hopes that he would be able to get the care he needed and live a full, pain-free life.

At only 7 months old, Charlie came to NEOCR having already experienced tremendous battles in life. From the moment the NEOCR transporter scooped his fragile body up and gently placed him in the car, she was instantly in love and knew that NEOCR would have to do whatever it took to fix Charlie.

Despite the obvious pain that he was in, Charlie wanted nothing but to give and receive love. He beamed his great big puppy smile to everyone and did not hold back on the kisses at all.

Charlie’s foster mom came to get him and take him to the emergency vet and was just as smitten with this sweet, loving and simply incredible fluff-ball of joy.

The news from the vet was, in a word, shattering. X-rays showed extensive damage from both his most recent and the original injuries to his hip, leg and spine. The concern expressed by the vet was that because of the way the original injury had healed, his pelvis was malformed and it was unclear if he would be able to live a normal, pain-free life even with amputation of the leg.

The news was horrible. In the short time Charlie had been with NEOCR, there was no question that everything had to be done to give him a second chance. The thought that he may not be a candidate for surgery simply could not be an option.

And so, the wait began for his consultation with the surgeon. His appointment was an agonizing 11 days away, but he had received an injection for pain as well as some medication to help keep him comfortable at home. Much to everyone’s absolute joy- this pain management made a significant difference for Charlie. By the next day, he was running with his foster siblings and bouncing around like a normal, happy puppy. He instantly became his foster mommy’s shadow and never let her out of his sight. He also got to go back to his original transporter’s house to spend some time with her and her pack where he continued to just be the most loveable, adorable little guy on the planet.

Charlie continued to spread joy to everyone in his presence. He was not broken- merely a little bent maybe. His spirit was unscathed.

Finally, the big day arrived and Charlie was off to see the surgeon. There was little hesitation as the doctor provided options for Charlie’s treatment. Euthanasia was not on the table. Charlie was going to be fixed. Not only was Charlie going to be fixed, but he was also going to have surgery the very same day.

Due to the extensive damage, the best option was amputation, but the doctor felt that Charlie would be able to recover and live a very happy, pain-free life. At his young age, amputation would not create any huge obstacles that Charlie couldn’t overcome- Charlie has certainly shown that he was not the kind of guy to back away from a challenge.

Charlie breezed through surgery and now, he will be showered with all the love and kisses he can stand while he recovers and gets ready to start his next big adventure.

Charlie and NEOCR cannot begin to express how much the love and support received has meant. Being able to give Charlie a second chance means everything!

A Second Chance for Charlie