Mutts Matter: Saving Mo

Mouse, a.k.a. Mo, is a sweet 7-month-old French Bulldog who was rescued from a puppy mill operation. When Mo came into rescue, he was malnourished, infested with fleas, full of parasites, and suffering from a severely damaged leg that was most likely the result of being attacked by another dog or mistreatment at the hands of his breeders. His leg went untreated for months, and he lived every day in pain. While Mo’s story is sad, it’s also a story of resilience. Even through unthinkable neglect and mistreatment, he is still a happy and very playful pup who deserves to have a shot at a great life, and experience love and human kindness.

When Mo came into the rescue, he went straight into foster care with one of our seasoned foster moms to begin his rehabilitation and to learn how to be part of a family. He was well on his way to recovery when he began to have seizures, and they grew more severe with time. An MRI revealed that he has a genetic condition called Hydrocephalus, an excessive buildup of fluid on the brain. This causes pain, pressure, headaches, seizures, and vision and stability problems. Left untreated, he would continue to have seizures and eventually die from this condition.

The good and hopeful news is that we took Mo to see a veterinary neurologist who determined that he is a good candidate for a special surgery that involves draining the fluid to alleviate the pressure on his fragile brain tissue. The doctors believe that this will allow him to lead a normal life and grow into a healthy adult Frenchie. The bad news is that the surgery will cost $4,500-$6,500, which is in addition to the more than $3,500 that the rescue and the Humane Society have already contributed to Mo’s care. For a small operation like Mutts Matter, that’s a lot of money.

Despite the expense, we believe that Mo deserves a chance to find some relief after such a tragic beginning. His seizures started increasing in frequency and severity, so we had to move quickly, and Mo had his life-saving surgery on Monday and remains in the hospital. He’s on the road to recovery, but we still have quite a ways to go to raise the money to pay for his surgery. Mutts Matter Rescue is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization, and we can only do this lifesaving work with support from members of our local community.

Even though little Mo has been through so much in his short life, his foster mom, Kristin, wanted me to share with you that he is such a wonderful, good-natured puppy. When he’s not having seizures, he’s doing normal puppy stuff like getting into trouble, chasing his brothers and sisters around the house, or snuggling on the couch with his foster family. He’s a fearless little guy who loves to play, and lays in wait to hurl himself off the bed and tackle his unsuspecting Dachshund sister, who is also his best friend. He brings joy to everyone around him, and at 7 months is still only a baby with a lot of life left to live.

We want all dogs to have a happy ending, but sometimes there are special cases like Mo that require a little more from all of us. We want to put a face and a story to a puppy mill survivor for all the lost souls who will never make it out. When you buy a puppy from a pet store, for sale online, or from someone off Craigslist, chances are you are supporting puppy mills. Puppy mills treat dogs like Mo as a commodity, and their only concern is profit. As a result, dogs like Mo live in horrific conditions and the consumer often ends up with a less than healthy dog, sometimes with permanent health issues and genetic deficiencies.

Help us spread the word that choosing to rescue a dog not only saves a life; it helps combat the existence of puppy mills. With each pup saved, we’re on step closer to ending the suffering of so many dogs like Mo.

Please consider a donation to help us cover the costs to save this little guy, any amount you can. We know Mo will be thankful, and we thank you for reading and sharing.

Mutts Matter Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit all-volunteer dog rescue organization. We work in conjunction with shelters and other organizations to help save animals on death row, strays on the street, or dogs in unsafe living conditions. We also assist with large-scale cruelty cases, such as puppy mills, dog fighting cases, and other animal-related situations that require urgent attention. Since our founding in 2010, we have successfully rescued over 1,500 dogs.