Stitch is four!

Stitch recently celebrated his fourth birthday and though his foster siblings were ready to party, he chose a more subdued way to celebrate. He found a small cat bed under a table and decided that was his birthday gift. 😂 Since his discovery, this has been his new favourite “chill” spot.

Stitch likes to squeeze into small spaces – tiny crates, little beds, any nook and cranny he can find. Well, as the saying goes, ‘good things come in small packages,’ and Stitch is making sure he still fits!

Happy Birthday, Stitch! 🎉

Deer Santa,

It me Stitch again! I sry I had to use voice to text still, my eyes and ears no work very good. I cant believe it another year, another Christmas! 

My BTRC Ohana telled me to write a letter about what I want for Christmas this year. Last year when I wrote you my biggest wish was to hve a warm home with love, patience, lots of friends to play with and to feel better, I told you BTRC already gave me that with my foster home. This was true, but …don’t be mad I lie just a little pinch. Secretly I was wishing my foster home to be my forever home, Stitch no want to leave. AND GUESS WHAT SANTA ?!? It a Christmas miracle, BTRC put Stitch (ME) in Set For Life. Dis mean I stay with my foster momma and brudder and sister forever and BTRC help make sure Stitch still get medicine to feel healthy and strong.

I feel happy, so happy! Stitch want all his BTRC foster friends to find their forever too! Dis my biggest wish for Christmas, more loving homes for my friends, or donation to my guardian angles to keep saving special boys like me and so Set For Life can happen for the most special ones of all.

“This my family, I found it all on my own. It’s a little broken, but still good. Yeah, still good.”– Lilo & Stitch

Merry Christmas Santa
Lve Stitch

Welcome Home, Stitch!

When Stitch first arrived to BTRC, he had been diagnosed with hydrocephalus (fluid buildup in the skull), but what that meant for his future was unclear. After consulting with a neurologist, we were told that Stitch’s condition had caused brain damage, and his hearing and vision impairment were likely a result. Stitch, we were told, would struggle to learn new skills and would exhibit neurological symptoms lifelong.

In his time in rescue, Stitch has surpassed all expectations. He has remained seizure-free on his medication schedule and, in fact, his steroids have been reduced to the lowest possible dose. It was deemed safe to anaesthetize him for his neuter and microchip, and by spacing out his vaccines to lessen the chance of any reaction, he was able to have all brought up to date.

Stitch has learned basic manners, how to sit and wait patiently, finds his way around his home and yard without issue, is about 95% potty trained, and a real social butterfly – all things that didn’t seem possible on day one.

Stitch was doing so well that, after five months in care, it was decided in August of 2022 to put him up for adoption. Since that time there have been few applications, and none were exactly the right fit for this special boy.

Stitch is happy and content. He knows his environment well. He loves his family, both two-legged and four-legged. After joining them on hikes and adventures, Stitch, like Goldilocks, has to try all of the dog beds, no matter what size, and his foster mom graciously supports his habit with an assortment of comfortable places for Stitch to settle. He is loved and he is extremely well cared for.

Stitch has found his forever home.

Given his medical history and physical limitations, Stitch is now a member of our Set for Life program. Stitch will live out his life in a home where he is loved and showered with TLC. BTRC will cover the financial costs of all necessary veterinary care.

If you would like to sponsor Stitch and his ongoing care, please visit Set for Life DONATE to make your one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation.

I hope you haven’t ghosted me
I’m a friendly apparition…👻
I’ll just haunt my foster home
And await your application!

HAPPY HOWL-OWEEN FROM STITCH!

Ready for Adoption – Stitch!

It’s been almost 5 months since Stitch, the 26 lb Boston-mix, arrived in rescue. Well-travelled, he’s had quite the journey during this time, making his way from Quebec to Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia. All of this by car, as a dog with his condition cannot be flown.

Stitch is great with other dogs of all sizes though does seem to prefer friends his size or smaller that are patient and gentle. Since he can’t hear or see to know when his friends have had enough, it’s important his canine playmates are patient and that his humans supervise to let Stitch know when playtime is done. He would prefer a home with another dog as he does thrive off their company and follows their cues (i.e. when it’s safe to go through the door, where the best pee spots are in the yard, etc.)

Cats that are used to dogs would likely be fine with Stitch. Is there such a thing as a forgiving cat? Because Stitch’s limited vision does mean he’s been known to run into and/or over a cat in his way.

Stitch is a big goof and will jump up and spring off you when excited. He’s also a little mouthy so for these reasons a home with small children wouldn’t be advisable. He may be okay with dog savvy kids 12 and up that he can’t knock over.

Stitch has many likes. It would be a close tie between food and affection; he’s pretty forceful with both! He loves going to work at the office with his foster mom and if he thinks she’s leaving without him he’ll sing the song of his people pouncing at the gate to make sure he’s not forgotten. He would love a home where he’s not alone often as he loves his people but also needs to stick to his med schedule and have someone near by if he were to experience any seizure activity. Stitch loves walks but seems to get fairly bored with longer city walks and often is spotted along the waterfront snoozing in a sunbeam not making it far on his journey. Take him to the woods on an easy trail though with all the exciting smells and textures and you simply can’t stop this guy! He would be happy in a moderately active home.

A fenced yard would be ideal for Stitch, not only to keep him safely contained but to allow quick access for potty breaks. It’s not a deal breaker, though, if it’s easy to get him outside on leash when he needs to go.

Stitch is on daily medication to help avoid fluid build up in his skull. At present, the cost for his medications is about $100 a month but dosages and drugs taken may require adjustment if any symptoms change. His forever home must understand that Stitch will require medication lifelong. He is also on a raw diet with a mixture of supplements and veggies that has made a huge, positive difference in his potty habits so it would be encouraged that his forever home keeps him on this diet.

A few words from foster mom:

“Stitch, it’s so hard to put into words how special he truly is. This is going to be one of the toughest goodbyes. He is without question the class clown. He never lets anything get him down despite his challenges and always makes you laugh. It took him a while to adjust to our home and it wasn’t without some difficult days but I’m so glad we saw him through.

When he first arrived, he was a very busy anxious guy – it was difficult to find a med schedule that worked and to teach an adult dog where to potty, but we’ve reduced meds found a schedule that works, he hasn’t had an accident in about a month and now is a nap expert. He will lay down and sleep just about anywhere no matter where we are, even the crosswalk while waiting for the lights to change! He loves playing with new dog friends and despite his vision and hearing loss he navigates play and spaces shockingly well.

But what’s been the most rewarding is seeing him find a dog bed on his own and settle in for the afternoon or evening content to just relax with everyone. To just be a dog.

I really want people to know that Stitch can and has been living a fairly normal life. His perseverance and affection know no bounds, and whoever gets to see him through this next part of his journey would be so lucky. There is something incredibly rewarding about opening up your heart and home to a special needs pet. It has been really difficult thinking about seeing him move on from us, so if his new home ends up being local, they should know they’ll always have a free pet sitter here with the saltydog gang. The door will always be open for our Stitch.”

STITCH • NEUTERED MALE • 2 YEARS • 26 LBS • SPECIAL NEEDS • FOSTERED IN HALIFAX, NS

Note: From the time applications are opened, through the selection and screening process, adoptions can take approximately three weeks to finalize. We thank everyone who takes the time to apply, but only those who best fit each dog’s requirements in a forever home will be contacted.

JUNE 2022

BTRC foster Stitch is loving the east coast life! Neutered on May 30, he just has a couple more vaccine boosters to complete his vetting. Given his neurological concerns, it was decided to err on the side of caution and space out his shots to lessen the risk of an adverse reaction.

So far everything is just fine. Stitch is such a happy, friendly boy, and his impaired vision and hearing aren’t preventing him from learning new things. He now sits patiently to wait for his meals and is picking up on basic doggie manners 101.

But the BEST new thing, according to Stitch, was his first ever ‘pup cup’. Delicious!

We’ve recently had Stitch’s DNA testing done. Because of his ‘special abilities’, it’s helpful to know what other breeds are part of his make-up, so we have the full picture of any genetic predispositions he may have. And, well, inquiring minds want to know!

Can you guess the breeds that make up this special boy?

Get the answer here!

MARCH 2022

A quick update on Stitch. So far with his new medication, he has been seizure-free. 🤞🏻 We were fortunate to get an appointment with the neurologist for next week, so we can get some direction about what we can do for this sweet boy.

Stitch is doing well in foster care. His foster caregivers have been familiarizing themselves with how to work with a hearing and vision-impaired dog as he does need some help with his house training. And his foster brother, Homer, has appointment himself as Stitch’s seeing eye dog – taking this role very seriously when on walks, checking behind him often to make sure Stitch is following safely along. ❤️

INTRODUCING STITCH