ELYRIA, Ohio – An American Eskimo mix named Luke, who has suffered from severe injuries and neglect, is on the road to recovery, thanks to Friendship Animal Protective League, compassionate foster care and an outpouring of community support, after amassing an online following.
Luke arrived at Friendship APL on Dec. 30 after the organization was alerted about an injured dog in critical need of medical attention.
At just 1 year old, Luke had already lived in multiple homes and experienced significant trauma. While living in his first home, he was hit by a car, resulting in a broken leg that was never fixed. The injury healed incorrectly, resulting in limited mobility.
Later, Luke was rehomed to a household with several unfixed female dogs in heat. This environment led to a fight among the female dogs, leaving Luke with extensive wounds, particularly to his face, which went untreated and became infected.
“He was not the one that initiated the fight,” Shelby Dowdell, communications and PR manager at Friendship APL, told cleveland.com. “He just got the brunt of everything.”
The veterinary team prioritized treating his infection, performing surgery the next day to close the deep wound and insert a drain to help with healing. Luke was placed on antibiotics to fight the infection.
Despite the hardships he has endured, Dowdell says Luke has shown incredible resilience and, although nervous and overwhelmed, he has had a sweet disposition since the day he arrived at Friendship APL.
“He was never mean—just shut down, scared, and confused,” Dowdell said. “All of the volunteers spent time with him in our adoption rooms, reassuring him that we were there to give him love and that nothing was going to hurt him anymore.”
Luke’s recovery
Friendship APL turned to social media to share Luke’s story and find a foster home for his recovery. A woman with experience caring for dogs with medical needs saw the post and reached out to Friendship APL’s foster coordinator.
She soon welcomed Luke into her home and provided the special care he needed, soaking his wound multiple times a day with a warm cloth and administering his medication. His condition has significantly improved, with his facial wound now reduced to just a scar.
While Luke’s facial wound has mostly healed, his leg remains a concern. Friendship APL plans to have an X-ray done in the coming weeks, which they suspect will confirm the need for amputation.
A fundraiser for Luke has already raised nearly $7,000, an amount Dowdell called “incredible,” as the cost of his amputation alone is expected to be as much as $6,000. To supplement the fundraiser, Friendship APL is also holding a 50/50 raffle, allowing the community to contribute, while having a chance to win a prize.
As veterinary costs rise, the nonprofit Friendship APL relies heavily on community support to provide medical care for animals like Luke.
“Social media has played a really important role in animal welfare in general,” Dowdell said. “It helps not only us, but many animal welfare organizations, have a bigger reach. We really try to use it to help with our fundraising efforts.”
Next steps
After nearly two weeks in his foster home, Luke’s personality has started to shine. His foster mom reports that he enjoys playing in the snow and is becoming more confident and starting to come out of his shell.
Luke is expected to be available for adoption around the second week of February and will be posted on Friendship APL’s Facebook page and website. However, his foster home will first have the opportunity to “foster fail” and choose to adopt him.
Regardless of where Luke is ultimately placed, Dowdell is confident he will make a wonderful addition to his forever family.
“Even with his medical treatment, he has been so good. He’s a really tolerant boy, especially with everything he’s been through,” Dowdell said. “Often we see that the dogs that come in here with the most trauma are the sweetest, the most understanding and the most willing to give people another chance.”
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