A Story of Hope
On April 24, 2015 a tiny puppy was found on a country road in Wilson County, Texas. The puppy was dragging her back legs and was obviously paralyzed. She was picked up by a wonderful lady and taken to a veterinarian clinic. A local rescue was called and they immediately took the puppy in. After an x-ray was completed it was clear that the puppy had been shot. She had a pellet lodged in her spine. Two volunteers from the rescue took her to a specialist to determine the magnitude of her injury. One of those volunteers was me. I’m Hope’s mom and the owner of Hope’s Pet Boutique. I instantly fell in love with her as I held her in my lap on the way to the specialist. We needed a name for her. A name that was significant for the battle she was facing. The rescue group, Wilson County Animals Lost and Found Inc. had posted her on their Facebook page. They asked for suggestions for her name. So many in the community had donated for her care through the Facebook page we felt that they had to be involved in choosing her name. They chose Hope. Hope’s prognosis from the specialist was not good. It was determined that the damage was permanent and she would never be able to walk on her own. Surgery was not an option. Determined to give her the best life possible we began making plans to build her a set of wheels and I decided to be her foster mom.
When I brought Hope home with me she was completely defeated. She appeared to have given up on life and was extremely timid. It took her two months to even make a noise. As I treated her wounds, she had extremely infected wounds on her legs from dragging them, she and I began to bond. She began to trust me and trust my love for her. Once she gained her confidence and began feeling better she was a completely different puppy. She was absolutely determined to walk! She hated her wheels. She wanted to do it herself. I saw small movement in her legs and a tiny reaction to touch so I began strengthening exercises and massages. We began using her wheels as a support for her to learn how to use her back legs again. One day I turned around and saw her standing on her own in her bed! This was huge! Soon after she began to take steps without the support of her wheels. Hope flourished and was quickly free of the wheels and even running!
Hope still has some issues with the strength in her back legs and at times needs support. My mom began sewing special dresses for Hope with strategically placed leash hooks so that I could support her while out on walks or help her with steps. This grew into a passion for pet fashion and Hope’s Pet Boutique was born. On July 2, 2015 I adopted Hope. There was no way this brave and strong little puppy was going to live with anyone else. She is such a joy and inspiration to everyone that meets her. I am so blessed to be her mom and to have witnessed her triumphs.
Pets, specifically special needs pets hold a special place in our hearts so at Hope’s Pet Boutique 10% of all sales are donated for the care of other animals in need. We love giving back after so many people helped with Hope’s medical care and rehabilitation.
Love,
Kristal Fowler
Hope’s Mom
Owner – Hope’s Pet Boutique
