Charlet Pense will never forget the call she received about a dog named Bear that was in desperate need of help. A sheriff at her local police department came across a photo of a dog that appeared extremely ill, and he knew the Furever Paws and Claws Rescue was his only chance at survival.
Sergeant Hank Williams with the Fredericktown Police Department saw a photo of a dog with a severe skin infection while he was scrolling through Facebook. He reached out to Charlet, the co-founder of the Furever Paws and Claws Rescue, for help. Within hours, Charlet welcomed Bear into their rescue and had him admitted to a local animal hospital.
“I met Bear on July 1, 2019. The two-year-old Great Pyrenees shuffled up to me looking like a very sick old dog. He took his nose and raised my hand to his head. He broke my heart and I fell in love.” – Charlet Pense
Bear had to be shaved from head to toe for the veterinarian to see the severity of his condition. Bear had a severe skin infection due to an infestation of bot flies, as well as being severely dehydrated and underweight. He was also diagnosed with heartworms, which is a preventable yet deadly disease if not treated. With so many serious conditions stacked against him, Bear had a poor prognosis.
“On day nine in the hospital, Dr. Howerton called me and said he was really worried about Bear. He wouldn’t eat and wouldn’t take his medicine. I told Dr. Howerton that I was on my way with McDonald’s cheeseburgers and he would eat.” – Charlet Pense
As Charlet arrived at the animal hospital with cheeseburgers in hand, she knew this moment would help them determine if this pup had the fight in him to keep going. As Charlet crawled on to the floor with Bear, her heart filled with joy once his tail began to wag at the sight of his delicious burger dinner. It was as if that meal kicked off his appetite again, as she was able to bring him home the next afternoon to begin the next step of his journey.
Bear’s road to recovery was not easy, as he required a list of oral and topical medications each day to help him heal. Though Charlet had to dedicate her days to caring for this handsome boy, he offered her endless love in return!
As Bear started to recover, his beautiful personality began to shine through. He offered hugs at every chance he had, jumped at every opportunity to cuddle on the couch, and even became a protector for Charlet’s grandchildren. Bear fell in love with every member of the Pense family, making it difficult for Charlet to think about re-homing him once he was healed.
After giving it some thought, Charlet knew she loved this furry boy way too much to let him go. Charlet officially welcomed Bear into the Pense family, making him an official foster fail!
“I think every board member has at least one foster fail, and that’s okay. Sometimes their future just happens to be with us.” – Charlet Pense
The Furver Paws and Claws Rescue continues to fight for the animals that so desperately need someone on their side. Dogs like Bear could not have a chance at a happy future without the help of their dedicated fosters and donators, making it so important to spread the word on their incredible work!
If you’d like to donate toward the continued efforts of the Furever Paws and Claws Rescue, you can contact them for donation instructions here.
H/T: dailyjournalonline.com
Image Source: Fureverpawsandclaws/FB
Toledo, United States.
