We discovered Harper on a rainy morning in February when our staff started coming in for their shifts. She was abandoned at our shelter overnight, left in one of our empty play yards. She was cold, wet and terrified. Once we were able to get close to her, we realized that she couldn't walk. Her limbs were deformed and all four paws went out to the sides, similar to that of a seal. It became obvious to our shelter staff that Harper was an extra special dog with special needs.
Sure, she had challenges, but she had so much light in her eyes and fight in her spirit, that we knew she deserved a chance to be loved and cared for. We gave her a nice meal, a cozy kennel and had her checked out by our vet staff. Soon, she became a favorite around the shelter, loved by every one that she met (even though she could get spicy at times!).
We sent her for x-rays to determine the cause of her deformity. We discovered that she had a rare and aggressive form of arthritis, basically eating away at her bones and joints. With the new knowledge of her condition, our veterinarian put her on medications to make her comfortable and to help delay the advancement of the deterioration.
With so many medical issues, we understood that it would be a lot harder and make take a long time to find a person special enough to care for our special girl. So, while we waited for the right adopter to come around, Harper got special treatment from staff and volunteers. She got to spend her days in the management office, where she had lots of attention and yummy treats. One of our staff members even took her for short trips to the beach! She won the hearts of Oahu SPCA supporters too. Harper had her kennel sponsored and her adoption fee!
After several months living at our animal shelter, Harper had an inquiry for adoption! One of the sweetest, kindest people on the planet, wanted to give Harper a loving home, and it sounded like the perfect fit. On the day of her meet and greet, her potential adopter even invited her Uber driver to join in on the festivities and take part in the meeting!
Needless to say, it was a match made in heaven and Harper found her forever home that day. We get frequent updates about Harper and her new life which includes stroller rides by the beach, park visits with her doggy gal pals and lots of selfie's with her new mom.
We couldn't be happier for Harper. Without the support of our amazing community, we wouldn't have been able to help this special girl and give her the second chance she deserved. We hope to help more amazing animals like Harper with your love, generosity and support.
