Tiny Tim came to Lawrence Humane in October 2022 as a stray, found limping along a country road, unable to put weight on his front right leg. Unfortunately, no owner ever came to reclaim him. Moreover, our clinic team determined that Tiny Tim had likely been hit by a car and his injured leg was beyond repair. After our veterinarian amputated his injured leg, Tiny Tim’s physical pain went away. But Tiny Tim was still in a world of emotional pain. He hid in the back of his kennel, dejected and broken hearted, growling at anyone who came near. 

 

But we weren’t deterred by Tiny Tim’s prickly demeanor. Staff members took the time to sit outside Tiny Tim’s kennel, and talk to him. We gave him treats to show that we’re not so bad. We were patient with him and once he realized that no one was going to hurt him, Tiny Tim allowed himself to trust again. Walks outside turned into play sessions, which turned into snuggles and a demand for belly rubs!

Unfortunately, Tiny Tim’s struggles didn’t end there. Tiny Tim was distressed living in a kennel. He was incredibly smart and had a lot of energy – neither of which are conducive to life in an animal shelter. Frustrated by confinement, he began to react negatively to other dogs if he saw them through kennel doors. He growled, snapped, and turned into a Tasmanian devil! The negative behavior he had developed in reaction to his kennel-stress kept potential adopters from seeing what an incredible dog he really was! And so he continued to sit in a kennel…

Once again, we didn’t give up on him! Staff took him on daily outings and recruited a volunteer to take him running. We created food puzzles to stimulate his brain. And one staff member came to the shelter every night to play with him after-hours so that he could get an extra mental health break. We knew that Tiny Tim’s reactivity to other dogs would continue to be a barrier to adoption, so we worked to safely introduce him to dogs with whom he could build confidence and learn to play. We took him on walks in residential areas so that he could get used to the idea of neighborhood dogs. And we searched for a foster home that would accept Tiny Tim as he was, while continuing to work on his challenges. 

Finally, after months of searching, the perfect foster mom for Tiny Tim was found. And after a few months of fostering, she knew this was meant to be. After nearly a year of hoping for his forever family, Tiny Tim was adopted by his foster mom and finally got the happily ever after of his dreams! 

Tiny Tim needed a hero to help save his life and that hero was YOU! Without the support of our community, Tiny Tim’s story would never have ended so joyously!

We have an opportunity to double your gift, so will you be a hero for dogs like Tiny Tim and the other animals at Lawrence Humane once again?

At this very moment, animal shelters are overrun with stray and owner-surrendered pets. News outlets and national animal welfare organizations are reporting that animal intakes at shelters across the country are expected to reach a 3-year high this year, and adoptions are not keeping pace. This is leading to spiking euthanasia rates across the country, with euthanasia rates expected to reach a 3-year high this year. And animals with challenges like Tiny Tim’s are among the most at risk.

However, this is NOT the case in Lawrence, Kansas. All of the staff at Lawrence Humane are committed to ensuring that every animal who enters our care has the best possible chance for a happy, healthy life. But this is not possible without our community’s support. Your support is what allows us to make sure that dogs like Tiny Tim are provided every possible resource so that they can find loving forever homes. 

In honor of Tiny Tim, a generous Lawrence Humane supporter has offered to match all gifts made between now and November 30, up to $10,000! This means that your donation will be doubled and will go twice as far in helping us make sure that we never have to give up on any animal that comes through our doors. Would you be willing to give an amount that is meaningful to you at this time? Please know that every gift is appreciated and will go to making sure that every animal’s needs are met, every resource accessed, and no animal is given up on no matter what obstacle comes.

And the year is far from done. But I promise you this, friends, we have tried our hardest and our best to make sure that every single one of those animals has had all of their physical and mental health needs met. And we’ll never stop trying.