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Fifteen-year-old Handi was left at a Pennsylvania shelter in April 2024 by her owners; there was suspicion of cruelty/neglect, and her owners admitted they could no longer take care of her. Handi soon came to her Virginia Blind Dog Rescue foster home.
Handi is a beautiful, low-key 7-pound Schnauzer/Yorkie mix who sees and hears very little. She has been in her foster home for about a month, and has done a great job of settling in. When she first arrived, she did not seem to have an understanding of housetraining and what to do when taken outside. Her foster parents put her on a schedule of going out every 2 to 3 hours, and she has been doing a great job!! Very few accidents now! Anyone who adopts Handi will need to be prepared to continue to work on housetraining. But her quick progress has been remarkable!
Handi ignores the other four dogs in the foster home and also ignores the cat. She spends most of her time napping but will sometimes wander around the house. If she bumps into another dog or if a dog bumps into her, she doesn’t mind a bit.
Handi is not happy, though, with sudden movements made by people, particularly with people she does not know. When she first arrived in her foster home, she was a bit snappy when being handled but her foster parents soon learned to go very slowly and consistently let her first sniff their hand and then, when she was alert, she would get a pat on the head and then could be picked up; she has been fine with this. At the vet, because procedures there tend to be intrusive and sometimes painful, she can be snappy.
Handi sleeps quietly through the night in an indoor pen and, in fact, hardly makes a sound even during the day! She enjoys attention when she gets it but is also happy to nap. She is starting to seek out her foster mom.
She does well in the car; she is typically tethered in the back seat. She may wander back and forth and then relax. She does tend to tremble a lot, though, in a variety of situations, but does not seem overly bothered by car rides. She needs to be carried up and down any and all steps.
There are many good things to say about Handi and her health, especially considering she is an older pup! These things include:
-a dental was recently completed in May and her two lower canines were removed. She only has three teeth left (three small ones on the lower left side) which are in good shape. She eats soft food only. She LOVES to eat!
-the shelter detected a Grade I-II heart murmur but, prior to her dental surgery, her ECG was sent to a cardiologist and no heart concerns were noted, including no murmur.
-her eyes are currently stable; she has bilateral cataracts.
-ears are clear
-no luxating patellas (these are very common with small dogs but two vets have checked her legs and found her kneecaps intact at this time)
-heartworm negative
Handi does have some medical issues. These include:
-history of IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia) in 2012, pyometra in 2014, and significant liver disease in 2021. All this was prior to Handi coming to BDRA, and was on documentation the Pennsylvania shelter received on Handi from her former owners. None of these prior medical concerns is a concern at this time for Handi; her liver values from April are only slightly elevated and she is on no treatment at this time. Her current vet recommends rechecking her liver values periodically.
-a tendency to rapidly extend her left hind leg (and occasionally her right). Sometimes this causes Handi to fall, and sometimes she cannot stand back up. X-rays revealed no concern besides minor arthritis so there could possibly be a neurological or spinal component causing this. She is now on Galliprant once a day, and that has worked very well so far in controlling this problem.
-low grade mammary carcinoma with suspected lymphatic invasion. Because of Handi’s age, the rescue has decided not to pursue chemotherapy for Handi but will ensure she remains comfortable. Currently she is comfortable and she has no symptoms. Likely symptoms of concern would include coughing and other breathing issues.
Anyone seriously interested in adopting Handi should share this information with their vet and they can also receive a copy of vet records with more details. BDRA wants to be sure any potential adopter is fully informed about Handi’s current health. Also, any adopter should understand BDRA cannot predict future medical needs for Handi or any dog.
Handi has not spent time around children and would not be a candidate to be adopted into a home with young children. She would likely be easily startled by young children who often move quickly and unpredictably, and in those cases she may be snappy.
Handi is looking for a most special person who wants to give her the most wonderful last chapter of her life. She will reward that person with her gentle love and will be a great companion on the sofa or in a lap. If you think you can provide Handi the forever home she so deserves, fill out an adoption application today!
Handi is being fostered in VA.
Fifteen-year-old Handi was left at a Pennsylvania shelter in April 2024 by her owners; there was suspicion of cruelty/neglect, and her owners admitted they could no longer take care of her. Handi soon came to her Virginia Blind Dog Rescue foster home.
Handi is a beautiful, low-key 7-pound Schnauzer/Yorkie mix who sees and hears very little. She has been in her foster home for about a month, and has done a great job of settling in. When she first arrived, she did not seem to have an understanding of housetraining and what to do when taken outside. Her foster parents put her on a schedule of going out every 2 to 3 hours, and she has been doing a great job!! Very few accidents now! Anyone who adopts Handi will need to be prepared to continue to work on housetraining. But her quick progress has been remarkable!
Handi ignores the other four dogs in the foster home and also ignores the cat. She spends most of her time napping but will sometimes wander around the house. If she bumps into another dog or if a dog bumps into her, she doesn’t mind a bit.
Handi is not happy, though, with sudden movements made by people, particularly with people she does not know. When she first arrived in her foster home, she was a bit snappy when being handled but her foster parents soon learned to go very slowly and consistently let her first sniff their hand and then, when she was alert, she would get a pat on the head and then could be picked up; she has been fine with this. At the vet, because procedures there tend to be intrusive and sometimes painful, she can be snappy.
Handi sleeps quietly through the night in an indoor pen and, in fact, hardly makes a sound even during the day! She enjoys attention when she gets it but is also happy to nap. She is starting to seek out her foster mom.
She does well in the car; she is typically tethered in the back seat. She may wander back and forth and then relax. She does tend to tremble a lot, though, in a variety of situations, but does not seem overly bothered by car rides. She needs to be carried up and down any and all steps.
There are many good things to say about Handi and her health, especially considering she is an older pup! These things include:
-a dental was recently completed in May and her two lower canines were removed. She only has three teeth left (three small ones on the lower left side) which are in good shape. She eats soft food only. She LOVES to eat!
-the shelter detected a Grade I-II heart murmur but, prior to her dental surgery, her ECG was sent to a cardiologist and no heart concerns were noted, including no murmur.
-her eyes are currently stable; she has bilateral cataracts.
-ears are clear
-no luxating patellas (these are very common with small dogs but two vets have checked her legs and found her kneecaps intact at this time)
-heartworm negative
Handi does have some medical issues. These include:
-history of IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia) in 2012, pyometra in 2014, and significant liver disease in 2021. All this was prior to Handi coming to BDRA, and was on documentation the Pennsylvania shelter received on Handi from her former owners. None of these prior medical concerns is a concern at this time for Handi; her liver values from April are only slightly elevated and she is on no treatment at this time. Her current vet recommends rechecking her liver values periodically.
-a tendency to rapidly extend her left hind leg (and occasionally her right). Sometimes this causes Handi to fall, and sometimes she cannot stand back up. X-rays revealed no concern besides minor arthritis so there could possibly be a neurological or spinal component causing this. She is now on Galliprant once a day, and that has worked very well so far in controlling this problem.
-low grade mammary carcinoma with suspected lymphatic invasion. Because of Handi’s age, the rescue has decided not to pursue chemotherapy for Handi but will ensure she remains comfortable. Currently she is comfortable and she has no symptoms. Likely symptoms of concern would include coughing and other breathing issues.
Anyone seriously interested in adopting Handi should share this information with their vet and they can also receive a copy of vet records with more details. BDRA wants to be sure any potential adopter is fully informed about Handi’s current health. Also, any adopter should understand BDRA cannot predict future medical needs for Handi or any dog.
Handi has not spent time around children and would not be a candidate to be adopted into a home with young children. She would likely be easily startled by young children who often move quickly and unpredictably, and in those cases she may be snappy.
Handi is looking for a most special person who wants to give her the most wonderful last chapter of her life. She will reward that person with her gentle love and will be a great companion on the sofa or in a lap. If you think you can provide Handi the forever home she so deserves, fill out an adoption application today!
Interested in adopting a BDRA dog? Simply fill out our application.
All of our adult dogs are spayed or neutered, up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, and on heartworm and flea/tick preventive. All puppies are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped and on heartworm and flea/tick preventive.
We ask a $400 adoption fee. This does not begin to cover the vet work we do on our dogs, which is why we are always fundraising! For unaltered dogs (such as puppies too young to be spayed/neutered prior to adoption), we now require an additional $100 spay/neuter deposit that is refundable upon BDRA receiving proof of spay/neuter and rabies vaccination.
Interested in adopting a BDRA dog? Simply fill out our application.
All of our adult dogs are spayed or neutered, up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, and on heartworm and flea/tick preventive. All puppies are up to date on vaccinations, microchipped and on heartworm and flea/tick preventive.
We ask a $400 adoption fee. This does not begin to cover the vet work we do on our dogs, which is why we are always fundraising! For unaltered dogs (such as puppies too young to be spayed/neutered prior to adoption), we now require an additional $100 spay/neuter deposit that is refundable upon BDRA receiving proof of spay/neuter and rabies vaccination.
Can I meet the dog before I submit an application?
All of our dogs are cared for in private foster homes. We cannot make arrangements for private meet and greets until an application is received and references have been checked. That being said, many of our dogs are at local public events where you can certainly go to meet them.
Will you transport the dog to me? What if I live in Canada?
Generally yes, as long as you do not live more than 18 hours from a dog’s foster home. If you are unsure, please email adoption@blinddogrescue.org.
Can I meet the dog before I submit an application?
All of our dogs are cared for in private foster homes. We cannot make arrangements for private meet and greets until an application is received and references have been checked. That being said, many of our dogs are at local public events where you can certainly go to meet them.
Will you transport the dog to me? What if I live in Canada?
Generally yes, as long as you do not live more than 18 hours from a dog’s foster home. If you are unsure, please email adoption@blinddogrescue.org.
More about this rescue
We are a group of volunteers spread throughout the United States and Canada dedicated to helping blind and visually impaired dogs by rescuing them in shelters, assisting blind dog owners, and educating the public about these wonderful dogs.
We formed in August 2009, and our members have many years of experience with blind dogs and rescue. We have rescued more than 900 visually impaired dogs so far.
Please look over our website, visit our blind dogs for adoption, read their stories, and we think you will agree that “blind dogs see with their hearts!”.
We are always looking for volunteers; let us know if you want to help out! We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group, and all donations are tax deductible.
We are a group of volunteers spread throughout the United States and Canada dedicated to helping blind and visually impaired dogs by rescuing them in shelters, assisting blind dog owners, and educating the public about these wonderful dogs.
We formed in August 2009, and our members have many years of experience with blind dogs and rescue. We have rescued more than 900 visually impaired dogs so far.
Please look over our website, visit our blind dogs for adoption, read their stories, and we think you will agree that “blind dogs see with their hearts!”.
We are always looking for volunteers; let us know if you want to help out! We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group, and all donations are tax deductible.
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