My name is Leslie Gallagher. I'm the founder and President of Two Hands Four Paws, a wonderful canine rehabilitation facility in Los Angeles. How did I meet Maverick? One of my vet techs, “Linda,” who also works at another hospital mentioned to me that they had a baby Golden Retriever who was paralyzed in all four legs after being vaccinated and whose owners wanted to euthanize. My heart sank. How can anyone euthanize a puppy? He was just 10 weeks old, for Pete's sake!!! Against all my better judgment I said to her, “Please don’t let them euthanize him. Bring him in for therapy! Let us at least TRY to fix him!!! And if that doesn’t work just tell them that I will take him.” Anything to keep the puppy alive.

Weeks went by, while Linda did her level best, with very limited resources, to help the pup with some PT. Part of me was a little bit glad he hadn’t shown up for the whole adoption thing as we were boarding and rehabilitating a huge, paralyzed Goldendoodle who had just had a stroke and our backs were killing us lifting him everywhere, and a crazy German Shepherd who had had hip surgery but totally, absolutely and completely refused to put her foot down. Our hands were full. But I worried. And worried. And worried.

At week six post-vaccine-incident I called the hospital again. The administrator couldn’t have been any nicer. She was so grateful for my offer to adopt this dog and told me she’d get back to me. I was sweating with how long it had been since he went down and terrified that if he ever did show up there’d be nothing I could do. I feared they had waited too long. The big concern when a dog has been down is that the muscles atrophy, lose their flexibility and start contracting. Often times it is not reversible.

Finally, a week later, the hospital manager called and said that the owners had agreed to give me the puppy and that Linda would be bringing him to us. Oh my god. And, by the way, he had not improved. He was still paralyzed. In.All.Four.Legs. Okay.....

So here we are. Another tetrapalegic dog that will require massive amounts of PT. A dog that will steal your heart and break your back. Someone that loves to see you, especially at 4am when it's time for his potty break, raining or not. A puppy that is full of joy, has soulful eyes, a will to live, a ferocious appetite and a burning desire to walk again. (This sounds a LOT like Kenny the Paralyzed Doberman, who learned to walk and run after being fully paralyzed in 2013). This is what we do.

I believe we can get Maverick walking again. It will take many hours of work, the expertise of my veterinarians and staff, our hydrotherapy equipment, acupuncture, our pool, PT equipment, wheelchairs, braces, medicines, diapers, passion, patience and lots and lots of love. And friends. And colleagues. And financial support. 

I am looking to raise $14,500 to get Maverick walking again. Please join Team Maverick and make a contribution, large or small as we embark on this wonderful journey. He’s worth it. Thank you!