The Ordinary Story of Patrick Henry An EXTRAORIDNARY Dog

Seems to me that the powers that be, fate, karma, kismet or whatever you believe in were at work on Friday June 8th, and because of this... This is where Patrick Henry's story BEGINS, rather then where it ENDS........


I had for personal and health reasons been moving further and further away from actual hands on volunteering at our local KCMO shelter for several months, which makes this story all the more interesting. 


I had spent the whole day on Friday June 8th at the shelter working with their rescue coordinator to show her some tips and tricks to help her with her job.  I had taken a little break and had walked to the back area of the shelter where the vet clinic area is.  I was standing there chit chatting with someone when in walked one of the Animal Control Officers...  I looked down and was immediately in shock.  At the end of a little blue nylon slip lead was this...

Of course my first thoughts and words were the same.... "OMG, poor baby, what happened?" and I offered him the back of my hand and knelt down to say hello.  ACO (animal control officer) said he didn't know what had happened to him.  He said he was a cruelty seizure out of someones back yard. 

I followed along to the vet clinic where we all squatted down and began to love on this boy.  His face was just nothing but a bloody infected mess... not a small spot, literally his entire face, even under his fur we could see he had infected, raw wounds on his arms and legs as well, yet his tail was still wagging.  He allowed ALL of us to offer him up some lovin.  Of course we all gave him a once over and made a guess about what we thought had happened to him.  Anything from a chemical being thrown on him, to an attack by a dog or dogs, an attack by a rogue gang of raccoons, to an auto-immune disease with secondary infection that had not been treated.  I stayed with this boy only about 10 min or so before he was walked to the back and into the "bite section" to await his fate..... not because had bitten anyone but understandably this is hardly a dog you could display in the main kennel room and hardly humane to keep a dog with this severity of injury in an overcrowded shelter.

I went on about my day and was there until close and while I could kick myself for not making one last pass through to see him before I left... he was right there... stuck in my mind and it didn't take long before he had wiggled his lil ooozy face into my heart as well. 

I left the shelter thinking of this dog...  tearing up as I drove away thinking how bad this boy looked and how he must have been in unspeakable pain yet his tail continued to wag.  In spite of the fact that he had horrible wounds and infection all over his emaciated body, he STILL wagged his tail, he still felt that we (the human race) were okay.  Whoever had done this to him and or allowed him to get in this condition... well THIS boy didn't hold it against ALL of us.  I mean how amazing is that???? 

When I have had to deal with cases of abuse and or neglect, I have a bad habit of letting my mind go to places I wish it didn't.  Often times for me... it is not the injuries themselves that break my heart it's what this poor boy must have thought when his people put something on him that burned him or that he sat in a back yard getting more and more infected, wounds getting larger and larger and his people looked at him and never reached out to help him.  Did he think, what have I done????  What did I do that made you not love me even enough to rinse off my battered bleeding body?  What must this boy have thought? And even after all of that, he still sees the good in people... 

Anyway, I spent the next day with mental images of this boy going through my head and trying to decide if there was even anything I could do.  And then.... then late Saturday night I received a text from the one of the management team/trainer at the shelter with a "preview" of the kill list.  She had asked me to take a look and make sure the pics had attached properly and as I rolled down through the email... there he was....  Don't get me wrong, I hate that my local high volume shelter has to kill for space but I did understand why this boy was placed on there immediately.  The over capacity gazillion year old dilapidated illness harboring shelter was certainly no place for this boy to be in.  The thought of this boy being rescued from his back yard by ACO and making his way out, only to be placed in the non public section of the shelter to be euth'd at 4pm on Tuesday just didn't work for me.  I just thought he needed one chance, so I asked if I could pick him up first thing Monday and take him to my vet.  Permission was granted and away we went.

I also saw his picture that night posted out on facebook because he was on the "kill" list.  I hadn't paid any attention to the photo caption that read "Charlie"...  but I had studied his picture and had already dubbed him Patrick...  he just really looked like a Patrick.  I busied myself googling and yahooing inspirational people names because that's what I was INSPIRED by this boys spirit and his ability to forgive.   Those searches paired with the fact that I already KNEW he was a Patrick I quickly came up with Patrick Henry... after Patrick Henry Hughes, a young man whose family was featured on Extreme Makeover Home Edition, very very inspirational young man and family.  This link might let you see how Patrick Henry for this boy... just works.  Click the link and check out the video, not just to see this young man but to see the impact he has on others and his amazing positive outlook on live despite the challenges that he faces every day.  "They tell me there's more to life then just what I can see".... I think our Patrick gets that statement.

Patrick Henry Hughes - Extreme Makeover - I Believe

 I arrived at the shelter bright and early Monday morning and Shannon went in to get Patrick Henry for me.  He came out, tail a waggin, went on a brief walk with us to do his morning business... and yes, this boy is housebroken to a fault.  He had not pottied in his cage at the shelter all weekend.  So he did his biz and we headed back to my jeep to load up.  I opened the back gate of the jeep where I had a big blankie all fixed up for him.  He immediately put his front paws up on the back, stood there for a second or two then turned his head and looked at us as if to say... "Hey.. little help here, this is kinda a big jump".  Shannon gave him a boost and instantly he just curled up on the blankie. 

My vet clinic is only about 10 min from the shelter but the whole trip I never saw him or heard a peep.  He was content to be curled up on the blankie, enjoying the peace and solitude of my car.  Now of course I had called ahead to my vet clinic to let them know I was bringing in this poor boy that we had no clue what was wrong.  They are always willing to take on a challenge. 

Once there in the vet clinic with both Dr. Worthley and Dr. Bendur present I was hoping for an "AH HA" moment but no such moment existed... still a mystery and many scenarios it could be.  Now I should back up and tell you all another little something about Patrick Henry... it's very cliche but he had me at hello.  This boy just got me... yup went straight for the heart.  Patrick Henry is the kind of dog you look at and you can see straight into his soul.... or maybe it's that he can see into yours but man... he gets ya.

Anyway, I told them about how sweet this boy is and in spite of what he must be going through, he is loving and affectionate.  I told them I wanted to do what we could for him.  I went on to tell the vets that IF he took a turn for the worse or we determined that is was cruel to keep going then I would not return him to the shelter.  I would be with him there at the clinic if we needed to help him to the bridge.  We discussed at length what I wanted done at this point and what needed to be done.  He was given a thorough physical exam and we decided to sedate him and scrub down his wounds and remove dead tissue... there was a lot of that.  Here are some pics of what he looked like before during and after this process.



Patrick's right arm                                                     Patricks left arm after it was shaved

Patricks sweet face                                          Left rear leg

Patrick still knocked out after being cleaned up and slathered down with Silvadene

Honestly at this point in the process we still don't know what has caused all of this injury.  We did a complete blood workup, all of which was basically normal.  Of course we heartworm tested him and no way he could catch a break.. he was positive.  At this point I am completely smitten with this boy so I know I need to find out what is going on and see if we can "fix" it.  My vets also took a sample to send off for biopsy to help determine if this is an auto-immune thing or what....  so now we wait....  up to 10 to 14 days for results.  He is on antibiotics and his wounds are being cleaned daily and Silvadene applied.  He is being such a good boy there and has already made a couple of wonderful friends. 

His friend Julie, she comes and takes him out for a walk and just keeps him company and his friend Nikki was able to come meet him yesterday and is following his care... also offering her home to foster once he is well enough to go.  Patrick Henry makes friends no matter where he goes.  He's so stinkin cute.. on Monday as we sat in the lobby at JCAH, there were 2 ladies who came in to drop off records.. Patrick Henry immediately stood like a gentleman would when a lady enters the room and his tail went crazy.  He was sure these 2 lovely ladies were there to see him....  Thank goodness they noticed him... they too could see to look past the horrific physical appearance, they stood chatting with him for a few min, gave him a pat on the head and told him they were praying for him.  He wagged his tail and watched them leave then curled back up at my feet.   I always hear stories about the "angels" who walk among us... and I have to wonder......  he has a purpose here and he was NOT meant to meet his fate in the back room of the shelter.  Too many factors aligned for this. I ordinarily would not have been at the shelter.. and even if I was I would not ordinarily have been back in the back...  I mean had Patrick been brought in 15 mins earlier or 15 mins later I would never had met him.  If I didn't have an amazing, wonderful, fantastic, phenomenal vet clinic (Jackson County Animal Hospital) I would not have had a place to take him.  So all of these things that were not part of my ordinary day... make me believe that Patrick Henry is not ordinary at all... he is EXTRAORDINARY.  I can't wait to continue to tell his story....

Patrick Henry already looking better after Day 2

I'm going to ad more to his story later tonight but for now I need to get to the hospital to see him and pic up another undergoing hw treatment.  I do want to thank everyone for their healing thoughts, prayers etc and for all the amazing people who are already donating to his care.  We have set up a chipin for him located at Patrick Henry's Fund  On my way to the hospital I am stopping to pick him up a great big ol bone and a big cushy bed... from all of his friends!!!!!  

Big Hugs,

Carolyn & Patrick Henry