Charlie is one of our adopted rescues. She is a 9 year old yorkie that weighs 10 pounds. Charlie has medical issues that require daily medications and a special diet. She has very little teeth left and is hard of hearing. Charlie is very friendly and will go to anyone.
Charlie escaped from a fenced in yard on October 9th. She was not wearing her collar at the time of her escape. But Charlie is microchipped.
Charlie's family was out of town and Charlie was being watched by a friend. They have been searching frantically since their return. Charlie is greatly missed by her family and there is a reward for her safe return.
Charlie was last seen on Jackson Road near Madeline in Port Orange. A neighbor saw her running loose until a man in a white pickup truck stopped near her and then she disappeared.
Fast forward 13 months: "Miracles do exist"
Charlie has been located. She was turned into the Halifax Humane Society in Daytona Beach FL on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009.
Charlie is in very rough shape. Her microchip is what kept her from being euthanized. Charlie is said to have lost all her hair and is depressed. Who wouldn't be having been away from her family for over a year. She appears to have been on the streets for awhile.
Charlie's former foster mom is driving 12 hours to pick her up. We will have an update once she is back with her foster mom and has been seen by her vet. Please keep Charlie in your prayers that she will be able to heal from her year on the streets without her medications and special diet.
Update 11/6/09
Charlie was picked up yesterday from the shelter. Charlie is in pretty rough shape. She has not been on any of her meds or special diet for a year. But she was taken to the vet and she now only weighs 7 pounds, so she needs to put some weight back on.
She has another mammary tumor which will be removed in about 3 weeks to give her time to recover. She tested negative for heartworms, intestinal worms, and mange. This was a huge relief. She was also x-rayed and did not have any kidney or bladder stones. She was checked out and cleared for mange.
She did have a urinary tract infection. Her bloodwork is pending on should be back on Monday. So keep your fingers crossed that it is okay other than the thyroid that we knew of before she disappeared. Without the microchip, it is hard to think this is the same dog.
Click here for pictures of Charlie after her return from being lost for just over a year. (These will be updated with her progress.) "Warning: These are graphic"
Update 11/7/09
Good Morning!! First, I want to thank everyone for their prayers and good wishes for Charlie!! This little girl is a survivor and I have to believe that she was on a mission to find her family.
I do not believe that she has been abused.....simply medically neglected. Her toenails were trimmed!!! My belief is that the older woman that brought her into the Humane Society has had her all along. I think that when Charlie started losing her hair and growing that tumor, she may have thought she was just old. She has a UTI and I believe that when she started peeing every 5 minutes that the woman realized she couldn't care for her. I am just so thankful that she was brought into a shelter that scans and aggressively looked for Charlie's owner.
Charlie was on thyroid meds so that is why she lost her hair....there is no sign of serious skin disease....maybe some flea dermatitis...but the vet feels the hair loss is from lack of medication. We are VERY, VERY lucky that her stones have not returned and that she is not HW positive. Her tumor is removable but the stem does go down into the vulva, which will make it a little more complicated. She is back on her prescription food and omega3 oil, is taking antibiotics for her UTI and will go back on her thyroid meds on Tuesday.
It is going to take her awhile but she is SO happy to be home and with people she knows. She slept curled up on a blanket and pillow next to me all night and even wore her sweater all night. She does get very cold when she goes outside but Paula wrote me this morning that she is sewing up a storm all week-end for Charlie so I know it will just be a matter of time before she has some very stylish, warm clothing. We have tons of coats and jackets to put over sweaters. I even have some pjs but they are for human babies, not dogs, so I have t make sure she has them off when she goes outside.
All in all, it is just going to take time and lots of TLC to get this little girl healthy and completely happy again. She is snuggled in my bedroom on a warm bed right now and I am getting ready to bring in my oil heater to keep in there for extra heat for her. My Dana is sending an electric blanket to be used in her bed after she goes outside.
Jan told me that after she gets on her thyroid meds, her hair will start sprouting like weeds! I have to believe that my Scooter had something to do with this too!! He is up there sprouting his angel wings and he knew I had not given up on Charlie.
The extra surprise for Charlie is going to be that her Mommie and Daddy are her "baby Vanessa" are coming to visit next week-end. They have moved from Florida to Long Island since Charlie went missing. We have collectively decided that Charlie will stay here with Andy and I since I don't work outside of the home and since we have "companion dogs" for Charlie should she want to choose a dog to bond to. She is going to need lots of care and attention and I will be able to give her that with consistency. Charlie has always loved her little family and I cannot wait to see her face when they get here. We are going to the airport to pick them up on Friday and I will take Charlie so she can see them without all of the other dogs in her way. I know it will be a major tissue alert!!! I will get lots of pictures of her with them while they are here!
Again, you all are the BEST!!! It was a brutal trip down and back, especially with Charlie having to stop every 20 minutes or so on the way back....but worth every single second of it!!! I could not have done it without the love and support I received from all of you and from my family and friends. What an amazing support system and I am so proud to be a part of it!!!
Love to you all from me and from Charlie!!
Toni
Source: http://www.chrisrescueangels.com/charliemissing.htm
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