25 Special Needs Dogs & Cats Looking for Someone to Love Them

Lucky

Age: 5 Years / Breed: Treeing Walker Coonhound & Coonhound Mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: Furgotten Dog Rescue, Inc.
"Lucky here! I was hit by a car and left for dead on the side of the road. A nice lady found and took me to the closest vet where they contemplated euthanasia. You see, my spine was fractured leaving me paralyzed from the waist down. Thankfully, this rescue gave me a second chance. I am happy to be alive and am perfectly capable of living a good quality life. I just need to find a family who is perfectly cable of caring for my special needs :) I am guessed to be a 5-year-old Treeing Walker Coonhound. I love the company of other dogs and walking in my cart! I also enjoy getting pet by everyone I meet. If you don’t come to me, I’m rolling my way to you. My bladder needs expressed every 6 hours, and I cannot control my bowels. If you cannot deal with diapers, pee, and poopy messes, I will not be a good fit for you. I had bilateral leg amputation surgery to remove my back legs since they were dead weight. More recent pics are me without legs :)."
Photo: Furgotten Dog Rescue, Inc.

Zooey

Age: 12 Years / Breed: Terrier / Sex: Female / Rescue: Louie's Legacy Animal Rescue
"Meet the most special girl, Zooey. At approximately 12 years old and 30 pounds, this beautiful brown-eyed-girl is as sweet as they come and looking for an extra special forever home. Zooey is a pretty perfect girl, but like any pup, especially one her age, she has a few special needs. Zooey has arthritis in her hips and will need daily medication to help keep her mobility strong and keep that adorable little happy dance going! Even with medication, Zooey cannot safely navigate down more than 1-2 stairs on her own and will need a single level home where she doesn’t have to do steps (or won’t accidentally find herself near them). Zooey also requires a medicated food for her kidneys to help control her bladder and prefers wet food because it is easier on her senior smile! Zooey is the most special girl and deserves an equally special forever family! If you think you have the perfect home for this sweet senior, apply today!"
Photo: Louie's Legacy Animal Rescue/See Spot

Gizmo

Age: 12 Years / Breed: Shih Tzu / Sex: Male / Rescue: Fred's Mission Rescue and Sanctuary
"Gizmo came into rescue when his owner passed away. He had never been groomed. He does not want to be touched for grooming or vetting and does not want to be picked up. Was sedated for grooming and vetting. He is sweet and confused as to what has happened. He is doing well with crate training and will go out if asked. He will potty in house if you don't watch him. Update: No steps for Gizmo. He has crippled front feet. Weighs 20+ pounds. Must have fenced yard, he does not walk on a leash."
Photo: Fred's Mission Rescue and Sanctuary

Hugo

Age: 3 Years / Breed: Chihuahua / Sex: Male / Rescue: Fred's Mission Rescue and Sanctuary
"Hugo was pulled from Campbell County Animal Shelter. He is deaf. He is approx 3 years old and 12 lbs. He is a sweet goofball who is very active. If you startle him he will growl. He is not housebroke. Working on crate training. He does well with most dogs, can be bit bossy. Update 1: doing much better potty outside. Crate trained long as not over 8 hours. Loves toys!! Happy guy who likes to be with people."
Photo: Fred's Mission Rescue and Sanctuary

Eli

Age: 4 Years / Breed: Domestic Long Hair / Sex: Male / Rescue: Save The Animals Foundation
"Eli has handsome Maine Coon looks, with his luxuriant brown tabby coat and ginormous white mitts. He is one chill guy, instantly comfortable with the many volunteers at STAF. Eli loves a good belly rub and purrs like mad when fussed over. You can have all this awesomeness and more with just a few requirements. Eli has a treatable heart condition that will need to be monitored dependably with regular vet visits. He is also positive for FIV, the feline immunodeficiency virus, which doesn’t hold him back and is not transmissible to people. With good care, he should be with you for years of love. Eli was one of a large group of cats sadly dumped behind a Dollar Store. We are so glad he came to our shelter, where we could cater to his every need and whim. This is simply the best cat on the planet, so if you are able to commit to his care apply today—you’ll be thrilled you did!"
Photo: Save The Animals Foundation

Huckleberry

Age: Adult / Breed: Boxer & Pointer Mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: Save The Animals Foundation
"We have seen some rough cases in 30+ years of rescue. But still we cry tears of gratitude when we are able to save a dog like Huckleberry. He was found on the side of the road, a mere skeleton with ribs and backbone clearly visible through his scabby skin. There was also something obviously wrong with his vision and he would bump into things. Tho well-intentioned, the family that picked him up realized they had neither the schedule nor the finances to provide the care he needed, so they took him to their local county shelter. But his stay there was short. We didn't know what to expect or how much life this boy had in him. We just knew we had to give him a safe, warm place to sleep, treat whatever ailed him, and shower him with mad-love from our volunteers. Despite his emaciated condition, almost complete blindness, and a diagnosis of Lyme Disease, it turns out that Huck's spirit and trusting nature have survived intact. Around six years young, he is an utterly joyful and loving dog, with a tail that has not stopped wagging since we first met him! With regular meals he has filled out, well on his way to his ideal weight of around 80 pounds. His lack of vision (the result of Progressive Retinal Atrophy, an inherited disease) doesn't hold him back one bit from exploring every inch of our play yard, or getting around in his room, or enthusiastically greeting any human who stops to say hi. He adores car rides and will gaze out the window. We think he sees shapes and shadows passing by. Huck is a good, confident walker, and is totally game for exercise and exploration. While out and about, he gets super happy at the sound of human voices or senses the presence of another dog ... he wants to make friends! We think this guy may have the makings of a therapy dog ... he just loves people so, so much."
Photo: Save The Animals Foundation

Sammy

Age: 3 Years / Breed: Domestic Short Hair Mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: Fred's Mission Rescue and Sanctuary
"Lenny had stomatitis and had all his teeth removed. He eats 2 pouches of wet food daily with warm water mixed in. He likes some dry food but just swallows it whole. Very friendly and active."
Photo: Fred's Mission Rescue and Sanctuary

Koda

Age: 4-5 Years / Breed: Husky & Golden Retriever Mix / Sex: Female / Rescue: HART
"Koda is a beautiful 4-5 year old Golden/Husky mix who was found as a stray in West Virginia. She was obviously well taken care but unfortunately, her owners never came forward to reclaim her but that's okay because she's in better hands now! She did test positive for Lyme, a non-contagious tick-borne disease that is more and more common.. She was given the Lyme vaccine, which will help keep the Lyme dormant. The Lyme will remain with Koda for the remainder of her life. A yearly Lyme vaccine will help keep the disease dormant. Should a flare-up occur, it will be noticed by joint pain/inflammation and lethargy. Typically, a dose of antibiotics will be enough to cause the disease to go dormant again. If Koda should have several flare-ups, in a short amount of time, it could potentially affect her kidney function. Lyme has become more prevalent in the Kentucky/West Virginia area where we pull most of our dogs. Thus far, everyone adopted has gone on to live happy healthy lives. Koda is the easiest dog this foster has ever fostered in over 15 years of fostering, she is the very definition of a couch potato. If you are sitting on the couch she’ll be there right next to you looking to get pets or a massage and yet does not beg for attention. If you are working at a desk or table she’ll generally come lay by your side. On occasion she’ll go out through the doggie door to lay in the yard when it is cool, so a fenced yard would be best. She’ll need an air conditioned home with her thick fur. She is fine with grooming and no problem with handling her paws. She is good with other dogs but does not play or wrestle with them, just sniffs and goes back to laying on the couch. She is a confident dog but does not like to climb up and down a full set of steps, probably not been in a house with steps. I have gotten her to go up steps but still working on going down steps. Koda is good with children of all ages, is really gentle and would not knock over toddlers. She is a laid back pup and will not need daily walks, but would really love a daily walk. She walks very nice without pulling. She rides well in the car. She is not food aggressive. She is also a very quiet dog, I don’t believe she has barked in the time she has been in the foster home, although she could have barked along with the fosters’ dog while at the fence visiting a neighbor’s dog. She knows a couple of commands like sit and is food driven so should be easily trained. Koda is a low maintenance dog and likes to be next to her human. You will need to be happy with her being on the couch with you, as she is a great cuddlier and prefers that activity above all except maybe going for a walk and eating. She does not need a crate."
Photo: HART

Zirkel

Age: 1 Years / Breed: Bernese Mountain Dog / Sex: Female / Rescue: Luv4K9s
"Zirkel is a 1 year old female Bernese Mountain Dog rescued as a puppy from a puppy mill on 02/22/20 with what they thought was a heart murmur. She is available for adoption but will need a home who accepts her medical condition and will follow up with her future medical care as instructed. We had our veterinarian evaluate her and then she was referred to The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center
03/11/20 The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center Cardiology Department diagnosed our little girl with a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). While these can sometimes be repaired and some cause no serious problems, her problem is complicated by some other abnormalities (thanks to puppy mills and inbreeding). While we don’t have a long term prognosis, it is possible that she will live a somewhat normal and healthy life, but she will need to have follow-up echos to assess how she is growing.
09/14/20 check up from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center Zirkel has a complex combination of congenital heart defects that makes assessment for long term prognosis difficult. Her long term prognosis is guarded overall. Luckily, she is not symptomatic for any of her cardiac disease at this time and appears to be on overall decent health. Zirkel had slight enlargement of two chambers of her heart (right atrium, left ventricle), but there is no reason to put Zirkel on any medications for her heart disease at this time. Zirkel will require monitoring of her heart with echocardiograms. Despite her heart problems Zirkel is a fun loving girl! She is doing well in her foster home and gets along with the other dogs in the home."
Photo: Luv4K9s

Sammy

Age: 12 Weeks / Breed: Husky & Shiba Inu Mix / Sex: Female / Rescue: Paw Patrol
"We know Wiggles is very cute and catches everyone's heart. However, we are looking for a home for Wiggles that understands that her cuteness comes with a lot of work. She is a special needs puppy. Wiggles has a condition called Cerebellum Hypoplasia, which means her cerebellum is smaller than it's supposed to be and this affects her mobility. Wiggles is a 12-week-old, 12 lb fluffball that is so sweet and loving. She has stolen everyone's heart that has met her. We probably should've called her Tigger as she is bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, due to her condition. She loves playing with other dogs and will need another playful but respectful dog in the home. Wiggles had her DNA done. She is a mix of Husky, Shiba Inu, Belgian Malinois and Labrador Retreiver. These mixes will mean Wiggles will likely be 50-60 lbs. We do know her mom was 50 lbs and she will likely be that big as well. Her body may not be that of a regular puppy but her behaviors still are. She still chews things she shouldn't, bites on fingers, plays too rough at times, and needs to be taught about rules and manners. We would prefer her to go to a home with older children that will understand her special needs and be gentle with her. Wiggles is a special girl looking for a special person or family to love her and see the joy she feels about life. While Wiggles' condition requires more work than most puppies it also comes with a few good things. She always looks like she's dancing to music only she can hear. She will never need correcting for jumping on people, stealing food from your counter, or getting on furniture she isn't supposed to. She will not need a lot of formal exercise as playing in the back yard with a buddy and chewing on toys will be more than enough most of the time."
Photo: Paw Patrol