Some dogs have it all – a loving family, all the tennis balls they could want, and four functioning legs… Some dogs like Rufus have to wait a little while for those dreams to come true.

Rufus the Doofus (as he is so lovingly nicknamed at the Connecticut Humane Society and amongst his numerous foster families) was born with a leg deformity that might have put a damper on his life were it not for the wonderful medical team here at CHS and at a local partner hospital that was able to perform corrective surgery on his legs.

This funny little guy was found wandering the streets of New Haven when he was only 7 months old. Animal Control Officers picked him up, and after he cleared his holding period and he went unclaimed, Rufus was transferred to the Connecticut Humane Society. There, he’d be given a medical assessment, any medical treatments he might need, and more. And eventually, that’s where he’d also find the perfect home!

But Rufus was in it for the long haul. Besides the routine care he’d receive, like a behavior assessment, foster field trips to safely explore the world with a human friend by his side, the volunteer enrichment program that taught him basic commands like sit, and lay down, and his neuter surgery, the veterinarians also had to figure out what was going to be done about Rufus’ legs.

They wondered about his future. Rufus had a congenital leg deformity that didn’t seem to slow down this pup’s silly antics, but there were a lot of questions, like: how would Rufus’ leg deformities affect the rest of his life? Was he, or would he be, in chronic pain from the shape of his legs and the size he’d grow to be?

CHS veterinarians couldn’t let him go home without knowing he was going to have the best possible life he could, and so, through a partnership with an external orthopedic specialist, Rufus was able to get corrective surgery!

This playful pup was put on strict crate rest in a calm and quiet foster home while he recovered, and he even got to heal in style with artfully decorated casts keeping both his front legs safe! He couldn’t wait to be fully mobile, and one day, on one of his short walks with his foster family, a potential adopter met him and realized Rufus was the right pup for her.

Finally, after incredible work by the Connecticut Humane Society veterinarians and a partner orthopedic specialist, Rufus gets to play to his heart’s content with his doggie companion and his new family’s five children. He spent this fall catching leaves in the backyard, and he’ll spend this upcoming holiday season snuggled tightly with the people he loves. Support from friends like you made that possible!

It took major orthopedic surgery, five recheck exams, three different medications, two splints and countless bandage changes to get him there, and now Rufus gets to live a normal, happy life with his family. That’s the level of care your generosity provides to every CHS pet, and pets like Rufus arrive every day in need.

Rufus and all his pals at CHS say “thank you!”