Tater

Tater has been through the worst kind of torture...

With all the horror and devastation surrounding us, words like "heartbreaking" have come to be sadly used, and heard, far too often. But even so, there is no better word to describe Tater, this sweetheart of a boy who is all "love," and absolutely no 'fight.' His face was the look of pure and total defeat, and his little body was suffering and broken for so long. 

Poor Tater started his life out in the wrong hands, in a miserable home where he was abused and mutilated. In fact, his "human" actually went as far as cutting Tater's ears clean-off ? leaving nothing but little nubs. We cannot fathom what kind of human could hold down a defenseless and struggling boy long enough to inflict THIS level of torture. No licensed professional would do this. Tater's mutilation was an intentional act of cruelty, with the person responsible for his torture doing so through the use of an incredibly sharp tool. And what's MORE disturbing is that someone actually did this horrific act with absolutely no sedation, no anesthesia ? nothing to manage the pain.

Then, at some point, this precious boy managed to get out of his home and onto the streets; but just as soon as he managed to escape one nightmare, he ran into another. Tater was found lying on the side of the road, severely injured and unable to move, after violently colliding with a car. The impact left him swollen all over (suffering from clear internal injuries), with his face and body covered in road rash and skin abrasions. Despite the fact that he had sustained severe, VERY obvious life-threatening injuries, this poor boy was not taken to receive medical care. Instead, Tater was taken to a small, overcrowded shelter and left to suffer his agony alone again, without vet care or pain medicine. Fortunately, his luck changed, thanks to an amazingly kind-hearted, compassionate individual, who knew she needed to act fast if she wanted to save Tater's life. She got him out of the shelter and immediately to the vet, where she found out the full horror of his injuries: Tater's right front leg was shattered in many places, and his L7 vertebrae were severed, but miraculously, he was NOT paralyzed. Nonetheless, he needed so much help, with so many things, and he desperately needed a rescue.

She sent out this plea: "Tater's right front leg is shattered. His back is broken. Yet his spirit and loyal Pittie-heart remain strong. He desperately wants to be loved. He cannot walk. He ARMY CRAWLS pulling himself along with his one good leg just to be next to a kind human." And thankfully, it got to those at Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project, who knew immediately, this little Tater-tot was coming home to them.

Today, Tater is SAFE with his rescuers and his team of fighters. He has gotten the care that he desperately needed and the intense rehabilitation. It was a long journey but he fought like a champ. Despite all the trauma, we're told that he is giving tail wags, he is WALKING again, and is just doing so much better because of the help of his amazing donors! Because of YOUR support ? felt from miles, cities, and states away ? Hippo is alive today... and ADOPTED! He was adopted by his beautiful forever family: The woman who rescued him from the shelter in the first place!! She ? and Tater's new four-legged siblings ? think he is the PERFECT addition to the family! And in even better news, Tater actually acts as "foster sibling" to some new special/medical needs babies that his momma has been helping. 

We LOVE hearing the "Forever" stories like Tater's?Thank you SO much to everyone that has followed his journey and has been there every step of the way!