Mr. Salomon had difficulty walking when he first arrived in foster care.
Mr. Salomon, Senior: Looking for a Match
When Mr. Salomon was picked up as a stray and brought into the Animal Care & Control (AC&C) shelter in March, his microchip made it easy to locate his former adopters. But when AC&C staff phoned the old dog's people, who had adopted him eight years before, they discovered an unsettling fact: his adopters did not want him back. They told AC&C staff harshly, "If we wanted him, he wouldn't be on the street!"…and further, that it would be just fine with them if the dog were euthanized.
AC&C's New Hope Coordinator put the word out to the Mayor's Alliance member rescue groups. Zulma Cruz of Loving Touch, a Queens-based rescue group and member of the Mayor's Alliance, responded and took the elderly dog into the group's foster program, in the care of volunteer foster parents Cathy Langevin and her husband Phil Pfersching.
Mayor's Alliance President Jane Hoffman shares the stage with a more mobile Mr. Salomon and his foster dad Phil Pfersching at the Loving Touch benefit luncheon in April.
Loving Touch knew that they might be facing some hefty medical bills, given Mr. Salomon's advanced age and impaired mobility. But when Dr. Jay Wen and Dr. Dominic Gucciardo at Hampton Veterinary Hospital in Speonk, NY, examined their patient, they determined from his blood work and chest and heart x-rays that Mr. Salomon was a very healthy dog. Only his hind legs and hips appeared to be causing Mr. Salomon pain. Apparently his leg muscles had atrophied and he barely could walk more than a few feet at a time.
But after receiving excellent outpatient care at the hospital, numerous acupuncture treatments, physical therapy, and daily doses of Hip Guard (a Chinese herbal supplement for hip and leg pain), Mr. Salomon is growing younger and stronger day by day. Cathy and Phil take him for walks on the beach and to the park to strengthen his muscles. He's up to nearly a mile each walk, and thoroughly enjoys the company of other dogs, as long as they don't get in his face. Mr. Salomon also gets along well with cats.
Today Mr. Salomon enjoys walks on the beach with foster parents Cathy and Phil and Bogey, a six-year-old Shepherd/Golden Retriever mix they adopted from Little Shelter in Huntington, Long Island, where they also volunteer.
"My husband and I adore Mr. Salomon and feel he would make a great companion for someone who enjoys a senior pet," explains Cathy. She says the only reason she and Phil aren't giving Mr. Salomon a permanent home is because their current family already includes four large-breed male dogs (one who was adopted from Loving Touch in 2004) and that's a full house.
But Mr. Salomon is in a good place at the moment, awaiting a permanent home. In April he accompanied his foster parents to the Loving Touch benefit luncheon, where he met plenty of new admirers. And we hear that he's making new friends wherever he goes. Cathy told us recently, "The staff at Hampton Veterinary Hospital saw Mr. Salomon yesterday (his first time in two weeks as his treatments are becoming less frequent) and they couldn't believe how well he is doing! They were ecstatic about his medical, emotional, and spiritual progress. 'Sully' actually tried to follow Dr. Jay Wen into an exam room to say 'Hi!' to the family and the patient who awaited care behind the door. Everyone laughed and chatted about how Mr. Salomon is so comfortable there and walks around like the Mayor of Speonk. Traci Teabo, office manager and veterinary technician, is helping Mr. Salomon build more muscle in his legs through strengthening exercises.
Mr. Salomon and friend Bogey relax in the grass.
"I've never seen anything like this," Cathy continues. "There are so many people to thank for helping Mr. Salomon rally against the odds. Just eight weeks ago it was thought that his life would be ended because of his age and his disabilities. Mr. Salomon holds his head up higher now, his tail wags in circles, and he loves to 'lean into' people who've shown him care, concern, and love. He always appears to be smiling. We won't give up on him. He is one of the lucky ones."
If you, or someone you know, is interested in sharing Mr. Salomon's sunset years with him, please click here or contact Loving Touch at puppygrl52@nyc.rr.com.
As you might imagine, Mr. Salomon's medical bills have been significant. Loving Touch will gratefully accept your tax-deductible donation to help cover some of those costs. Please mail your check, payable to Loving Touch, Inc., to: Loving Touch, Inc., P.O. Box 650404, Flushing, NY 11365.
About Loving Touch
Loving Touch is a volunteer community rescue group that improves the lives of lost, abandoned, and stray animals. They are dedicated to educating people in all aspects of pet care and animal responsibility, stressing the importance of spaying and neutering of all pets. When able, they take in stray/abandoned animals and have them vet-checked, tested, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and boarded or placed in volunteer foster homes to await permanent placement. Loving Touch volunteers also work in the community every day, feeding strays and remaining alert to those animals who need medical care.
