Success Stories

UPDATE: 5/27/2010
Little Lance’s adopters sent us some new photos of Little Lance.  They say he’s gained weight and is 25 lbs!  They are calling him Big Lance now!  They say he’s thriving and very happy!

Little Lance, the dog who over a year ago was beaten, shot and thrown from a moving vehicle, has been adopted! He is nearly fully recovered and will have an amazing life in his new home in Nob Hill. Here is a note his new family sent to us from Little Lance –

“I made it safely to my brand new home. I was a bit nervous on the car ride but stuck close to my new Dad. When we got home, I got to go out on my new roof deck. After we settled in, Dad took me on a long walk to Lafayette Dog Park and Alta Vista Park. I met lots of new friends and walked like a champ! The busy City streets didn’t seem to bother me one bit! Dad also says I’m a quick hill climber! Now I’m at home resting in my bed (see attached)-it’s been quite a day!

Love to All, Little Lance”

Little Lance all warm and cozy in his bed in his new home:

Thank you to everyone who made Little Lance’s recovery possible: his wonderful foster parents – Nadine and Jan who spent over 16 months caring for him every day to get him through his difficult recovery and to help him to trust people again!  Thank you also to his walking companions – Linda and Pam, his step foster mom and Dad- Cindy and Tom, his drivers – Betty and Simon, his veterinarians and vet staff  – especially Dr. Jyothi Robertson at OAS, Dr. Kim Carlson at Berkeley Dog and Cat Clinic, and Dr. Erin Troy at Muller Veterinary Clinic, the staff of Pet Food Express for donating to Lance and publicizing his story, and the many donors who funded his care! Thank you for turning a sad story into a joyful one!

This is a summary of Little Lance’s story:

UPDATE 8/1/08: On Friday night, August 1, Oakland police responded to a call of two injured dogs on the side of the road. When they arrived, one dog—a female, miniature pinscher—was dead, and a small male mixed breed dog was lying on the ground severely injured and in pain. Neighbors in the area said they had heard several loud gunshots, a car door open, then a dog screaming, and the sound of a car racing off. A local resident stated that she went outside immediately after she heard the commotion and found the two dogs in the gutter.

The female dog was examined by an Oakland Animal Shelter veterinarian and was determined to have died from a gunshot wound to the neck. Her back leg and spine were also shattered. The surviving dog is currently being treated at the Oakland Animal Shelter at 1101 29th Ave. He has a broken back and pelvis and a possible gunshot wound to the neck. He will need further surgery to wire his broken bones back together and a foster home in which to recuperate.

”The attack on these dogs was extremely vicious,” says Adam Parascandola, Oakland Animal Shelter director. “Not only were these dogs shot and thrown from a car, but the massive trauma to both dog’s spines and legs leads me to question if they were also previously beaten. It is clear that whoever is responsible for this crime is capable of extraordinary violence.”

UPDATE: 8/12/08 – Noon: Little Lance is going to need an MRI, multiple x-rays, intensive surgery to insert a plate into his back, and further surgery to hopefully salvage his injured leg.

UPDATE: 8/12/08 at 8:00pm We now have enough donations to cover the cost of Little Lance’s MRI, which he needed before surgery! Berkeley Dog and Cat Hospital in Redwood City will be doing the procedure at 2:00pm tomorrow.

UPDATE: 8/12/08 at 8:35pm: Little Lance is doing really well–the veterinarian was able to decrease his pain medication, so he is more alert and showing Shelter staff his sweet personality. Little Lance is even giving kisses, sitting up, and wagging his tail!

UPDATE 8/13/08 at 11am: Pet Food Express has just donated $4,000 for any information on the identity of Little Lance’s abuser(s), which brings our total reward offered to $5,000.

UPDATE 8/13/08 at 1:00pm: An Oakland Animal Services volunteer arrived at the Shelter to take Little Lance to his MRI appointment in Redwood City. After being placed into the volunteer’s car, Little Lance stood up and tried to jump out of his crate. He yelped in pain when he sat back down, but his verve and mobility is a very encouraging sign!

UPDATE 8/13/08 at 5:00pm: Little Lance is back from his MRI in Redwood City. When I opened the car door when he arrived back at the shelter, I was surprised to see how perky he looked. He was sitting up and very alert. I took him to the vet room and fed him (he wasn’t allowed to eat until after the MRI), and he gulped his food! (He’s only been willing to eat canned cat food, which we allow him to have since he needs to put on some weight.)

UPDATE 8/13/08 at 7:00pm: For current video of Little Lance, go to [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/txeLx0zgaCg&hl=en&fs=1]

UPDATE 8/14/08 at 12:00pm: The East Bay SPCA has contributed $5,000 to the reward fund for a total of $10,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for killing and injuring the two dogs.

UPDATE 8/14/08 at 1:45pm: We sent Little Lance for his surgery today. His MRI results showed that he has severe spinal chord compression. The surgeons will be shaving off a portion of his vertebrae to relieve the pressure. The MRI showed that the pressure is causing him to be fecally incontinent; we hope that with surgery this will be resolved. They will also be stabilizing his pelvic fracture with a plate, neuter him, and fix his badly swollen eye. Little Lance should be returning to the Shelter tomorrow afternoon.

UPDATE 8/14/08 at 7:00pm: Little Lance’s surgeon just called and said that the pup’s operation went really well! Little Lance had a large bone fragment removed from his spinal canal in addition to the top of his femur bone. He will stay at the veterinary clinic for two to three days while they monitor him. See video of Lance after surgery.

UPDATE 8/15/08 at 12:00 pm: I just talked to Lance’s surgeon, who said that he is doing quite well! Lance had significant spinal chord compression from the large bone fragment that was in his spinal canal. Luckily, none of the root nerves had been cut by the fragment and remain intact, so there is hope that the damage will not be permanent. It is now a waiting process to see if Little Lance’s body can completely heal so he can regain the full function on his left side, along with urinary and bladder continence.

His left rear leg was also very damaged. Although they performed surgery on his leg, it is likely he won’t regain his full range of motion. He will need significant physical therapy to heal.

UPDATE 8/16/08 at 4:00 pm: The veterinary clinic called today to give an update on Little Lance. He’s doing really well and they have been taking him outside for potty breaks–he’s even able to put weight on his back legs! He really perks up when he’s outside and actually seems happy and excited. We are concerned that he is still fecally incontinent, but he will continue to receive physical therapy every two hours. We are so thrilled that generous donations from the public made Little Lance’s surgery and post-operative care possible!

UPDATE 8/18/08 at 12:00pm: I spoke with Little Lance’s surgeon today and she said he is doing incredibly well! He’s apparently been trying to run! He is not wanting to put weight on his back leg, but that should get better with physical therapy. She said he’s a total lap dog and just loves attention. I’m going over to the clinic to visit him and will bring back photos!

UPDATE 8/21/08: Since Little Lance’s story broke, over 400 people donated to FOAS on his behalf.” The public outpouring of support and compassion for Little Lance has been truly inspirational. We wouldn’t have had the funds to pay for Lance’s surgery without the public’s help, and now he has a second chance at the good life he deserves,” said Willow Liroff, FOAS president.

UPDATE 8/22/08: Little Lance had a big day today! He was featured in a Press Conference at the Shelter to provide an update on his condition. His veterinarian, Dr. Kim Carlson, brought him to the Shelter for the first time since his surgery. He’s walking and looking fantastic…so different than the dog who was unable to sit up and was in so much pain just a few weeks ago! After the press conference, we took Little Lance to his new foster home. He was very excited when he got there and checked out the entire house and yard. His foster has two dogs and one of them is a little min-pin, like the female he had been with who was killed. Little Lance has his first physical therapy appointment next week.

Media:

• Video of Entire Press Conference (CBS)
• Oakland Tribune Article
• San Francisco Chronicle
• KGO Radio
• KTVU

UPDATE: 9/3/08: Little Lance in his new foster home – VIDEO.

UPDATE: 10/1/08: Little Lance came in to the Shelter today with his foster mother, Nadine, for a visit with the Shelter vet. It was incredible to see how well he is doing! He is actually standing on his bad leg and almost putting weight on it! He is still wearing a diaper because of incontinence, but that’s starting to resolve.

Little Lance gives his veterinarian, Dr. Jyothi Robertson, a kiss:

UPDATE: 12/25/09 – Little Lance at home with his foster family on Christmas:

UPDATE 12/29/09: Little Lance visits the Shelter and plays with a new friend Ethan:

UPDATE 1/3/09: Little Lance has been adopted!!!