Cal - a BIG little man

Hiya,

Don't know if this should really go here or not as we didn't keep him he only passed through our doors breifly and we didn't put the work into him, but we saw him again this morning and he recognised me! which brought a tear to my eye so I felt like sharing

About three years ago (before we moved again) it was late at night and we were waiting for one of my brothers to get home, there was alot shuffling around the front door and thinking he'd forgotten his key my mum opened the front door to let him in, a huge (mastiff size) bloody snarling mass promptly collapsed in the doorway and wouldn't let anyone near it - we think it chose our door because he could smell the other dogs or maybe it was just fate. My mum went to ring the police while I sat and watched it without getting near. To be honest I was s**t scared of him!!! With all the blood he looked terrifying and his face was covered in gashes. After a little while, my mum was still arguing with the dude on the other end of the phone but I could see he was desperate for a drink so I got the dogs bowl from the kitchen and gently moved it closer and closer to him - he started to drink was even wagging a bit when my brother arrived - next thing I know I have this huge bloody mass plonked on my knee growling and snapping doing his best to keep my brother away from me, thankfully having been brought up with our lot my brother had the sense to back off, by the time my mum came out he was quite happily having his tummy rubbed he'd let my mum touch him even though he wasn't happy about it. We now had a major dilemma as because the police had heard him grumbling and mum had told them he was badly hurt they were sending their vet to put him down immediately we decided he didnt deserve that just because he was scared. He was to big to carry and his back legs wouldn't support him so we slung a blanket underneath his back end and got him into the car driving him round to our vets. (As far as the police know he wandered off again ). Once at the vets he was put under aneasthetic his face was cleaned up and stitched and one of his back legs amputated the other put in plaster. When we rang in the morning they told us he was probably used as bait for fighting dogs due to the type of injury and that the reason his front half was so developed and muscular was because his back end had been tied down and he'd been left with his front half to defend himself - they'd had several dogs in like this. After he came round he was the sweetest dog with people but was terrified of other dogs which kind of confirmed the theory . To cut a long story short (coz' i've rambled on enough already). Cal was adopted by one of the vetinary nurses and she's put so much work into building up his confidence that when we bumped into them this morning he came bounding over like a loony to sit on my head and even had a chase around with Spring. We new it was him with his three-legged gait and his tough scarred face - he looks truly very scary and is the sweetest BIG little man i've ever met. Lucy has put so much work into him building up his confidence and he's a happy if slightly spoiled gentleman (he deserves to be!) he even sleeps next to her little boys bed every night .

so there you go - I know we didn't really rescue him all the hard work was done by Lucy and it's taken a lot of time and effort on her part, so i've pointed her on the route to dogweb and thought he ought to have his own page.

*pictures to follow*

H xx

What a lovely story, and what a smart dog to select your doorstep to collapse on All credit to you for seeing beyond the frightened grumbling - many would have condemned him on the spot.

Well done to you and to Lucy for giving him the chance of a new life Sounds as though he is repaying the faith you both had in him in spades!

It's a wonderful story - tears in my eyes. It's good to know Cal has a second chance with someone who obviously loves him.

I will never understand how people can be so cruel

Hi, what a lovely story. i have just resued a st bernard a few month`s ago her name is Bella, we already have one Dillon we call him Dilly he is dying of cardiomyopathy but is a total fruit loop he is totally hyper unusual for a saint anyway we were looking for a companion for him,i work in a hotel and one of the chef`s told me her friend who has boarding kennel`s had a saint who had been abandoned there, we went to see her and i broke down, she was skin and bone but was the sweetest girl , we took dill to meet her as he is the biggest wimp and they got on great so we asked if we could take her for a few day`s to see if they got on and she has been here ever since she is totaly transformed ,she is 6 next month so is an old lady but races about like a spring lamb she has put weight on and is the most beautiful girl now, she doesnt know what toys are and she has just started to sleep in a bed and she loves it . we have had a few health issue`s but she is worth every penny. Dilly and her are totaly devoted to each other and play conxtantly i`m so glad we took her as Dilly`s last few month`s are full of love and joy , her old wound`s have healed now and i think she think`s she`s in doggie heven. the vet is amazed with Dilly he was given 9 month to live a year ago and is still his old crazy self and his condition is still the same i put it down to the love and happiness his new wife has brought him , finger`s crossed he keep`s going for a long time yet but i know his last few month`s have been filled with love a joy Liz