Arnold the Angel
Founded in 1874, the Morris Animal Refuge is a pioneer in Animal Welfare. As a life-saving organization, we are committed to adoption, education, and high-quality care with the goal of finding positive and humane outcomes for animals in need. For some animals, like Arnold, this may take a bit of extra time and care to prepare them for their forever homes.
Arnold was found abandoned at just six weeks old. Worried for his health, Arnold’s finder brought him to ACCT, the city shelter, looking for medical resources and someone who could help this pup find a forever home. His swollen head, disproportionately placed eyes, and trouble navigating environments indicated that he would need some special help, but it took thorough examination to discover that Arnold was suffering from a life-threatening condition called hydrocephalus, meaning that he had an excess of naturally occurring fluid in his skull.
Hydrocephalus treatment includes surgery and careful medical supervision. With all the information gathered from his examinations, it was estimated that Arnold’s surgery would cost between $6,000 and $10,000.
When Morris Animal Refuge saw Arnold’s story, we knew we had the resources and the community support we would need to raise those funds and hopefully prolong Arnold’s life. After being transferred from ACCT to Morris, Arnold was immediately placed into medical foster care. Soon, he began to stabilize. We determined that he was blind, and fitted him with a special “halo” harness so that he could explore new environments without injuring himself. He grew bolder and happier in his foster home, and we arranged for continued medical supervision at the hands of a neurologist.
At the advice of his medical team, Arnold will not receive his surgery until he is fully grown. When he does, Arnold will be looking for a forever home that can handle his unique needs. Arnold’s skull formed around the excess fluid, so his head will always be a bit bigger than the average pup’s. He is blind, so he will need a consistent environment at home and adopters who are ready to take on the health challenges he may face. But at Morris Animal Refuge, we believe every animal deserves a fighting chance and a family that won’t give up on them.
All animals deserve a chance at their happy ending, and we rely on the support of our community members, like you, to care for the animals that come through our doors. Please consider donating to support our lifesaving mission. Whether your donation is large or small, everyone can make a difference in the lives of our animals. Thank you for all that you do!
