Success Story: Uma
2 Feb
Uma was rescued, pregnant, from a drug addict who acquired her under dubious circumstances. Rescue was informed about this girl from a local vet to whom the man brought Uma to see if he could deliver her puppies. When the vet told the man that delivering bulldog puppies was a complicated procedure and he should go to a specialist, the man indicated he was not interested in the trouble so he would let Uma die and cut her pups from her, to sell them.
Uma
Uma was ultimately surrendered to rescue – and not a moment too soon. She was rushed to our vet ant two pups were delivered, Lilo and Stitch (7 January 2010), while one did not make it. The best news of all is that Uma herself survived!
Uma went into a foster home with her pups. She weighed 19lbs pregnant and after the pups she was about 15lbs, very underweight. She must have been kept in a crate most of her life because she did not know how to drink water from a bowl, she could only use a small animal water bottle. Her foster mom gave her water with a syringe and because she refused to eat, fed her french fries with wet dog food and vitamins so she would gain strength. Uma’s coat was brittle from mal nutrition and was a physical wreck from years of neglect. After a few weeks of working with her she finally started to eat dog food and drink water from a bowl. She began gaining weight and strength and her health was improving. The puppies had to be fed by bottle every two hours, since Uma was unable to care for them on her own.
When Uma started feeling comfortable her foster home, it became evident that she had some Obsessive Compulsive issues. She would bite her foster mom’s pants and stay latched on. She would also attack anything that hung down, like a cord, shower cord, hanging towels, etc. She would resource guard her foster mom around other dogs. Uma was initially put on anti-anxiety medications but her foster mom was able to wean her off the meds and correct these behaviors with patience, positive reinforcement and training.
After 8 months in foster care Uma was finally adopted by a young man who absolutely loves her and calls her his Mubbley. He knows all of Uma’s quirks and accepts her for who she is and Uma loves her new daddy with his quirks and all too!
