Five year old Willow, an ex-breeding miniature schnauzer has not had a great life. No dog saved from a puppy farm has much of a life before they’re rescued. They simply exist for the puppy farmers, an existence which is all about producing puppies, not living in any real or naturally understood sense. For the few like Willow who survive long enough to be rescued, life outside of a puppy farm can be bewildering, scary and completely alien. For Willow, it has been all this in the few months since being rescued and made even more challenging because she has poor vision due to cataracts in both eyes.
Willow has had a bumpy beginning to her new life living in a regular home, with a few practical complications, but in April she was accepted into the care of Schnauzer Houzer Rescue along with Bailey, believed to be her daughter. Fortunately for them both, they have been under the caring and understanding wing of Julie, an experienced fosterer.
Willow and Bailey, both rescued from a puppy farm
Julie has been working with them both throughout the lockdown caused by Covid-19. This is an added complication to Willow’s story as it brought extra challenges in building Willow’s confidence in new or varied situations. It wasn’t long before Julie noticed that something wasn’t quite right with Willow. Her problems with adjusting to homelife seemed more than those commonly experienced by puppy farm dogs as they learn about living in our world.
As soon as it was possible to do so, Schnauzer Houzer Rescue and Julie arranged for Willow to see a specialist. This week it has been confirmed that she has cataracts in both eyes, with one being particularly complicated. The good news for Willow is that both are considered operable. It won’t be known until surgery takes place and recovery is underway whether full success will be achievable. But, for a dog with Willow’s background, challenges, and with the considerable progress she has been making with Julie, her rescue decided that she should definitely be given the chance at regaining her vision.
The financial demands on a small independent rescue of such specialist veterinary treatment is considerable. Committing to fund double cataract surgery - a cost in Willow’s case of £3500 - is not a decision that can be made lightly when funds are required for many other aspects of rescue work.
Julie and Emma from Schnauzer Houzer Rescue approached our charity for financial assistance and within a few hours a Schnauzerfest Grant had been agreed by the Trustees to cover the cost of Willow’s operation. This will take place at Rowe Referrals in a few days time and she will recover in the expert care of Sharon, a fosterer local to the clinic and experienced in taking dogs through the process of cataract surgery and recovery.
We will be in touch with Willow’s fosterer and rescue during the coming days and weeks. We look forward to sharing the next big and exciting stage of Willow’s journey towards living a wonderful life which, thanks to good, collaborative rescue and foster work, is now well within reach of this sweet soul.
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“Wow!! Thank you this is a relief and very much wonderful news. This funding means we can support many more Schnauzers we forsee coming into the rescue in the coming months. Grateful regards from Willow and the team at SHRUK.”
AUGUST 2020
Willow’s double cataract surgery went ahead and was a success! She has spent the last few weeks recovering in the expert hands of Sharon, an experienced fostered of puppy farm dogs with eye issues.
Sharon reports that Willow’s confidence has grown by the day, her character is now fully blossoming - testament too the loving care of both Julie her initial fosterer and Sharon and the restoration of her eyesight. This has been a huge relief for Willow, she was a dog who was seriously hampered by lack of eyesight, her anxiety and fears were crippling and making her recovery from the years in a puppy farm extra difficult.
Now, thanks to the dedication of many, the generosity of our charity donors, the support of her rescue and fosterers, Willow has a bright and wonderful future.
OCTOBER 2020
Willow in her new home.
Willow went off to her new home with Cheryl and Grahame a month ago and now lives with her new canine siblings, Bruno and Millie and humans Isaac and Grace. Everyone’s settled well together and Willow’s confidence is strengthening as the trust in her new environment grows. Cheryl tells us that for the first few days everything was kept as calm as possible. Willow found a chair in the lounge for her safe place. The first couple of nights she quietly howled and Cheryl and Grahame took it in turns on the settee to be with her. With cushions and beds around the house, over the first week Willow felt confident enough to explore, wanting to be around and copy Millie and Bruno. Willow is scared of humans so the key to helping her settle has been to give her the space to explore and feel safe. And to establish a routine she is comfortable with.
Cheryl says that Willow loves her walks and they are part of their regular, daily routine. While Willow was nervous to begin with her natural dogginess soon took over and she discovered the forest is full of exciting smells that need exploring. This week, a month on from arriving in her home and the walking is paying off, she’s lost a little weight - a good thing in Willow’s case - she has lots of energy, is alert and engaging with everything well, including barking when she feels the need arises!
As for Willow’s eyesight, she does struggle with peripheral vision and at night but other than that everything seems fine, she has a specialist check up booked in and hopefully it will all be good news.
We launched our Schnauzerfest Walks The Globe Challenge at the start of the month and Willow and family are fully embracing the challenge, her love of walking couldn’t be getting a better outlet than being out walking for other dogs.
Willow with Bruno and MIllie
DECEMBER 2020
Willow is thriving and has grown in confidence, enjoys being outside running across the countryside, but loves getting home even more according to Cheryl. For a dog who once had just the inside of a puppy farm to call home, knowing that Willow not only feels happy in her home, but reigns over it is especially sweet.
“Willow is very regal, she should have been called Queenie! As soon as Grahame gets out of his seat, she sits in it and I am sure she is smiling when she does it. ”
Willow loves routine and the best things, including having her chest, back and ears rubbed and she is happy to now be picked up and cuddled. This is good progress and testament to a lot of work on Willow’s part to learn to trust that humans mean her no harm now. will let us pick her up and have a little cuddle now.
It has taken almost 2 years from leaving the puppy farm to get to this point.
