#CampCockerFreedomFlyers
#CampCockerApollo
We Have the Best News Ever!!
APOLLO, our brave hero, is finally ready to travel to California to join Camp Cocker Rescue!
If you haven’t been following Apollo’s story, it all began in May when he was found in a ditch, starved, dehydrated and so mummified by his matted hair that he could no longer stand up. He had open wounds on his ankles where the matted hair had cut off circulation. His skin had gone necrotic and bone was showing. He had a huge puncture wound on his butt that was enormous, what was it from? Some sort of shiv? 😩 He had puncture wounds on the top of his head as well. He also had Caval Syndrome (Google for a deep dive, most dogs cannot survive this).
Our amazing rescue partner in South Korea, Rachel, who runs Cocker Friends Korea. AKA the Cocker Moms, was being advised to euthanize Apollo. His injuries were so severe and the veterinary specialists did not think he could survive so many medical issues.
Camp Cocker Rescue offered to sponsor his medical bills, but that was not part of the decision of whether or not to euthanize..
Rachel and Camp Cocker Cathy, along with the skilled animal communicator, Nami, had a conference call.
While Rachel and Cathy remained quiet on the phone, Nami communicated with Apollo in real-time. She had to go into a deep meditation to connect with him. She learned his back story (he had once lived with people as a puppy and did not hold any anger towards his first family because they could not care for him anymore. 😭😭😭😭 This sweet special dog only has love and no judgement.
Apollo showed Nami how he barked and barked hoping someone would find him in the ditch. He was so scared that he would die there, all alone, and that no one would ever come for him. 💔 Apollo was sharing with Nami how painful his skin was, this was from the infection as a result of being mummified as well as the open wounds.
Nami explained to Apollo that his rescuer was struggling to make a choice about euthanasia. She explained that if they kept him alive, it would not be an easy road. She explained that his skin and the bones showing on his ankle was going to require daily bandage changes and dressing and there was a chance that he could lose the leg. She explained that the heartworm was so bad that he may die soon from Caval Syndrome, either a blood clot or heart failure. She asked Apollo what he wanted.
Everyone became very emotional when they heard Apollo’s answer: “I have the will to live, I’m strong, I can fight to stay alive”.
Ultimately, it was Rachel who had to make the decision. She had to take on the burden of the daily trips back and forth to the vet, she fostered him through his many scary medical procedures, knowing that at any time, he could experience instant death if those heartworms caused a blood clot.
Cathy told Rachel that she would support whatever decision she made. There was no wrong decision. It was scary to try to keep a dog alive not knowing if you are only extending suffering and the chance for survival is so low.
Rachel replied: “Okay, if Apollo wants to keep trying, then that is what we will do”. ❤️🩹💜❤️🩹💜
For those of you who haven’t followed all of the ups and downs that Apollo’s medical treatment has had since May, you can start with his early days at the bottom of this page ⬇️ ⬇️ and catch up further by searching his hashtag of #CampCockerApollo (and have some Kleenex handy!). It is truly unbelievable that he has survived!! There were so many times when we were frightened that he would not - like when he was rushed to the hospital struggling to breathe after a heartworm injection!
The good news is that ultimately, this marvelous brave boy has finally made his way to Camp Cocker Rescue. 🎉
Thank you, so very much, to everyone who donated to Apollo, even though there was a chance he would not survive - and thank you to everyone that wrapped him in an imaginary pink bubble of love. We don’t know how energy works but there was something magical about so many of you that wrapped Apollo in the love & safety of that pink bubble. He felt your love and felt how many people were thinking about him.
We don’t know exactly how old he is, but our best guess is that he’s a middle-aged adult dog. Now that he’s here we will be getting a cardiology consult for him to assess his heart health. Apollo has been through so much and we are aiming to find him the best of the best forever home with someone who is as invested in his care as we all are.
Foster Update: Apollo is not receptive to giving up things that he has in his mouth - even something as simple as a stick that he finds on a walk! For this reason, he will need to be in a home without children who probably won’t be able to read his body language!
Apollo, and Rachel, have accomplished some very hard things, and now it’s our turn to get him across the finish line to find him that amazing forever home! If you are ready to give this boy the life he has dreamed of - please click on the Adopt Apollo button below to learn everything you need to know about the adoption process.
#CompassionHasNoBorders ❤️ #SaveADogChangeTheWorld 🌎 #CampCockerApollo 🐶
Follow Apollo here on his webpage - and our social media!
#CampCockerApollo
APPLY TO ADOPT APOLLO TODAY!
💔❤️🩹💔
⬇️ THIS WAS APOLLO’S STORY WHEN THE COCKER MOMS FIRST MET HIM IN MAY 2024! ⬇️
APOLLO IS COMING TO CAMP COCKER - BUT HE’S GOING TO NEED A LOT OF HELP BEFORE HE EVEN ARRIVES!
This boy is breaking our hearts into a million pieces. His name is Apollo. Our rescue partners, the Cocker Moms - aka Cocker Friends Korea - put out a call for help for a painfully matted cocker spaniel who was mummified and found in a ditch. He can't even stand up!
ALL HANDS ON DECK! DONATIONS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED!!!!
First of all, we are so in awe of our rescue partners in South Korea, the Cocker Moms (aka Cocker Friends Korea). They are doing the hard work on the front lines of saving our beloved breed.
They remind us so much of the state of cocker rescue two decades ago when the U.S. shelters had so many cocker spaniels.
Apollo is currently hospitalized at a 24/7 animal hospital. He is so severely anemic and dehydrated (he is on fluids). His bloodwork is not good at all, his organs are a mess from the starvation.
He has open wounds on his head that have maggots, and the infection is running through his entire body. He cannot stand up or walk because of the muscle atrophy of being mummified by his own fur.
He is not eating but he is on fluids right now with the hopes that he can take some tiny amounts of baby food soon.
We are committed to supporting Apollo’s hospital bills for as long as it takes. His Korean rescuers are so worried about him as well but want to give him a chance.
If you have followed Camp Cocker Rescue for a while and have fallen in love with how we see it through for the dogs we rescue - then imagine the Korean version of what you love about us and you will understand what the volunteer “Cocker Moms” are like at Cocker Friends Korea.
They are just like us. They lead with their hearts and can’t say no to a dog like Apollo, who might seem hopeless. Maybe he won’t be able to overcome the neglect to his body, but no one will know without trying.
Stay tuned for updates about Apollo as we follow his progress to recovery. Follow him here on his webpage and on our social media.
We rely on support in the form of small donations and volunteers. Please consider donating any amount to help us meet our rescue expenses which include medical, transport, and general care for rescued dogs awaiting adoption!
No amount is too small - and each donation is very much appreciated!