Riley

2-year-old Riley thought she was heading home with a family that would love her forever. However, after becoming injured at a training course, Riley was returned to us by her adopters.

We thought we had found the perfect adoptive family for sweet and playful Rottweiler Riley. But shortly after heading off to her new home, Riley found herself back in our care. Riley's parents had sent her to a training program, where she suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament. 

Similar to the ACL in humans, the cruciate ligament joins the femur and the tibia and is essential for the stability of the knee. We don't know exactly how Riley's injury occurred, but given her age, we believe it was the result of acute trauma to her leg, such as twisting of the knee joint from changing direction too quickly while running.

Riley was in a great deal of pain, and couldn't put any weight on her back leg. Her constant panting let us know she was in significant distress, so we knew we had to address this injury as soon as possible. We were doing our best to keep Riley comfortable with pain management medication while we waited for an opening for surgery. 

The goodness in the hearts of our rescue families never ceases to amaze us. We were fully expecting to have Riley in our care well into her recovery, but we were contacted by a family that adopted Biggs, one of our other long-term residents, last fall. The family wanted to open their home to Riley, and we couldn't imagine a more perfect fit.

Riley and Biggs immediately connected and were already cuddling with each other on the car ride home. Both of these dogs were considered "undesirable" - Riley for her injury and Biggs for his selective behavior and low energy. However, these two big balls of love have been given the second chances they deserve. Riley might even get her own sweatshirt to match her new dad and brother!

Riley will be heading to the vet very soon to have her torn ligament repaired, and her family will provide her with everything she needs in the meantime. We would not be happier for Riley!