| Husky Havoc RRT |
| Happy Tails in New Homes: Husky Havoc Success Stories |
| Khayman (now known as Nelson) |
| We pulled Khayman - a 7 month old red and white Alaskan Husky - from the Cuyahoga County Dog Kennel in September of 2007 and fostered him on behalf of Free Spirit Siberian Rescue in IL. He was so emaciated that you could see every bone in his body, even the contours of his skull and vertebrae. One of his eyes was gravely injured and severely infected; our vet determined that he had suffered a traumatic injury while living on the streets that had become infected. We knew the eye was blind because of this, and it would have to be removed or it would continue to cause him pain. The shelter simply didn't have the resources to treat him - even to give him pain medication - without his adoption fee to cover the necessary veterinary costs. We gladly paid for the surgery and analgesics (and for his neutering) and looked forward to being able to bring him home to heal. His personality never let on that he was in such bad shape. Sweet, affectionate, caring, and happy-go-lucky, Khayman seemed to enjoy taking care of us as much as we enjoyed caring for him. He gained weight steadily and spent his days playing with the Husky Havoc Trio; Malkin, especially, became his mentor (teaching him things we sorta wished he hadn't...like how best to dig up the garden, and how to pounce frogs). The eye was another matter though; the initial surgery didn't get all of the infected tissue out and it kept leaking pus. He wound up needing a second surgery within a couple weeks of getting settled into his forever home. A wonderful young couple near Chicago fell in love with Khayman from a photo and his story alone. They couldn't wait to bring him home. They re-named him Nelson, after the great British military hero Horatio Nelson, who lost an eye in battle. They adore him, and with their help, his eye was finally able to heal completely. He may have a handicap, but don't tell him that. Nelson is still his happy-go-lucky playful self, curious about everything and everyone, and is growing by leaps and bounds. Maybe by now he's even grown into those hound legs, but I doubt it. ;) Of course, he's still mostly Sibe, so he's got that mischeivous, "selectively obedient" streak. But he's just too darn charming about it. We offer a huge thank you to Leah and Jason for taking in a special-needs husky mix, even with the antibiotics and the surprise second surgery he required when he arrived in their home. We need more people like this in the world! We'll always miss our boy, and wish him the best life he can have! |
| "Husky, Cage 50" @ the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter. Notice how thin he is, and how morose. The eye had been infected for too long to save it. |
| Ah, the blissful sleep of a contented puppy. This is Khayman on transport to his forever family in IL. |
| And this is Nelson at his forever home...we think he looks pretty darn happy, but you be the judge. ;) |
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| Nelson at the county kennel, Sept 2007, on the day we took him in to foster |
| Nelson at his forever home, October 2007. |
| Khayman and his HHRRT mentor, Malkin. He would follow Malkin around the yard, inspecting whatever his mentor got into. Malkin was pretty mopey after Khayman left. |
| "What?! You want us to stop having the zoomies and Sit?! Nice try, biped." Khayman with Paikea, his running buddy. Pai's pretty fast for a slowberian, uh, Siberian. But he was faster. It was kinda nice to see her have to try to keep up for once. |
| He wouldn't go to sleep until he'd had his nightly dose of belly-rubs. He'd just keep leaning on me until I took the hint, and then he'd smile and flop over. Something tells me this hasn't changed. |