The Ark of Hope Rescue

Chance (March 2006 - November 4, 2009)

This is the story of Chance.  It is as close to the facts as possible.

The man who did this to him was only given a $500.00 fine and 18 months probation!

Read the story in the Cumberland Times-News.

WARNING: Some of these photos are graphic.

This is Chance lying on the cold floor after one of his operations. That's not a hospital bed that I would like to recuperate in!

You can see how swollen his lip is. He is missing a piece of his lip. The second surgery the vet had to go in and dig out more of the pellets from the shot.

You can see in this picture how terribly his face is swollen. How much pain did this sweet young dog have to endure? And he did it all in silence!

His face was so sore!!! Where were his original owners - why weren't they looking for him?!!

     A friend of mine named Brett was in Frostburg with a friend of his. A young dog came running over to them to play, which they did. This black lab was wearing a nice collar but no tags. When it was time to go in for dinner they figured that the dog would make his way back to his home. Unfortunately that is not the way the story would go. Shortly after Brett and his friend went in the house they heard a loud bang. When they came out there was this beautiful dog that they had been playing with just moments before, now laying on the ground with blood all over him. At this point I'm sure you're thinking that this poor dog got hit by a car, but oh no, much worse!

One of the neighbors saw the dog in "his yard" and he didn't want the dog in "his yard" so he went and got his shotgun and shot this friendly, lovable 1 1/2 year old puppy in the face! That's right - that sick man went and shot this poor dog in the face with a shotgun!!! Brett and his friend immediately rushed the dog to the late night emergency veterinarian. First was to check if he was micro-chipped, unfortunately he wasn't. The prognosis was 50/50. Well, to make a long story a bit shorter...the dog was then named Chance. For he was being given a chance but he was going to have to really fight to make it! And fight he did!!! The veterinarian and the techs at the vet hospital knew how much pain his sweet dog was in; they said that it didn't matter if they were starting another IV or changing his bandages he would wag and thump his long black tail! Chance had to undergo four separate operations and almost a month in the hospital but this dog had a sweet heart and a strong will.

You may have read about Chance in the newspaper or seen the channel 25 TV report. The pictures that we have posted are not for the squeamish, they are pretty graphic! The police did get involved, there are supposed to be charges against the man who did this but will this case ever make it to a courtroom? I believe that the man should have to pay the $4,000.00 vet bill and well, I can't print what I would like to happen, but I know God knows all, and this man will have to answer to God for this when his time is done here on Earth. But meanwhile, he needs to be taken off the streets - it is proven with statistics that if a person can be cruel to an animal he/she will most probably do it to a child or a spouse, etc. I know that I wouldn't feel safe with him as one of my neighbors!

UPDATE: It has been nearly three month since this has all taken place. Chance is doing great! He is ready to be adopted! A small amount of skin on his right side of his mouth is a little loose. But he can eat, drink, play, run, love and most of all he was given a chance to survive and he took it and ran with it! Now all he needs to do is find the perfect family that will help him forget all of the pain that he has had to go though. He loves sooo much - he now needs a family that will love him right back! Are you that family or do you know them. Chance is now neutered, he has all of his vaccination, he is housebroken, he is great with other dogs, and he loves women, children and believe it or not even men! Chance has fought the battle of his life; please help us give him the life that he so desperately fought for and deserves!!!

UPDATE: February 27th, Chance has been adopted!!! We found the perfect home for him, a very loving family with a female black lab, who is now his sister, and a two acre fenced in back yard. His new family thinks that he is "perfect!" He is in "doggie heaven!" We were very surprised in the lack of interest in adopting Chance. This family who ended up adopting Chance and a family all the way in South Carolina were the only two that came though with real interest! To "The Concerned Citizen" that posted a message to me, his vet bills were huge and yes, WCBC's listeners donated $1,300.00 to the Ark of Hope Rescue to help with the bill but the bill was much larger than that! Feel free to call me anytime 301-478-3300!

UPDATE: November 2009. The Ark of Hope received a phone call today from Chance's owner Mr. Walker. Quite upset he informed Dianne that Chance had just passed away. He noticed that Chance wasn't feeling good on Sunday so Monday he took Chance back to the vets who had done most of his surgeries. On an x-ray they found a large mass in his chest. Surgery was planned for the next day. Midnight the Walker family received a call from Chance's doctor telling them that Chance had taken a turn for the worse. A very short time after the phone call Chance passed away. Poor Chance had a hard life, from being a stray puppy, to being shot and surviving four surgeries and a lot of pain to being adopted and starting his new life. Living nearly a year with his new family, totally in love with his new life, to losing to a quick growing mass that took his young life.

I once read a story of a family who had lost their dog to illness and the little boy told his mother that after he prayed and asked God why he took his dog to heaven, God told the little boy that we are given these precious animals for a short time. When they have completed what they were sent to Earth to do they are called home. The little boy asked God what his dog was sent to Earth for and God told him...that dogs are to teach people how to love unconditionally. They are to teach friendship, patience, loyalty and forgiveness! The little boy thanked God for giving his family their wonderful dog and told God that his dog did a real good job!

Chance did his job real good too! He showed friendship, patience, loyalty, forgiveness and unconditional love! The Walker family will miss Chance very much, for they loved him the same way he loved them, very much! The Ark of Hope will miss Chance for he had taught kindness, love and forgiveness. Thank you God for giving us Chance, even though it was for such a short time. He did his job real good!!!