Meet Conner the CH pup!

UPDATE: Conner got ADOPTED!!! Woohoo! Thanks to all who shared this special little puppy!

We held a contest last year, where we invited our followers to nominate a rescue or shelter to win a 10-pack of Boogie's 2016 calendar. Through that contest, we were introduced to a lot of rescues we had not heard of before.  One particular rescue that stood out to us was Surrendered Souls Rescue (www.ssrescue.org) in Tempe, AZ.  

We have been following them since then, and recently saw that they have a new addition to the rescue, Conner.  Conner has CH (Cerebellar Hypoplasia) and will be available for adoption soon, so we thought we'd try to help him out by featuring him here.

Connor was rescued from a hoarding situation and arrived at Surrendered Souls Rescue March 6, 2018. As of today, this little nugget is just about ready for adoption. Plus, he has some serious wiggle butt skills, check them out in this video:

Surrendered Souls Rescue (SSR) is a 501c3 non-profit organization "dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming at risk medical dogs in Arizona." SSR focuses on animals who are at risk of euthanasia, victims of bad situations, owner surrenders and strays. The rescue is run by Mary Ann, who doesn't want any accolades, she just wants to save the animals who need her. 

Click here for more Connor joy!

If you are interested in adopting Connor or another SSR pet, please contact the rescue at www.ssrescue.org

We encourage you to visit the Surrendered Souls Rescue website and Facebook page to follow Connor's journey and to see the other animals in their care.

SSR depends on donations to continue saving lives, you can donate via their website or contact them to inquire about other ways to donate.

About Cerebellar Hypoplasia

Cerebellar Hypoplasia is a neurological condition in which parts of the cerebellum (the largest part of the brain) have not completely developed. There are many causes that can lead to this condition including genetics, infection, malnutrition, poisoning or injury in utero. 

Symptoms of cerebellar hypoplasia range from mild to severe and include: head bobbing, tremors, clumsiness, wide stance, falling and flipping over. Symptoms typically become visible in puppies when they begin to stand and walk, around six weeks of age. Cerebellar hypoplasia will last a life time but is not considered life threatening and the tremors and uncoordinated movements that accompany it  are something dogs and cats learn to compensate for. 

As a special needs pet parent, you will need to be a vigilant advocate for you pet. Believe it or not, many veterinarians have recommended euthanasia for CH pets, simply because they are not familiar with the condition. You will need to be willing and able to make any modifications necessary to your home and lifestyle, and your priority as will all pets, should be to help them thrive and live their best life. 

While CH itself is not life threatening, many CH pets are harmed through accidents caused by their motor skills challenges. For example, Boogie can't walk out of our home on his own to go potty because he will roll over and hit his head on the concrete. Little things like aren't worth the risk, so developing a protocol for your home will be important.

If you adopt a CH pet through a rescue, chances are they have been through the neurological testing at the rescue's expense. These tests range from $500 to $2,000 and UP, depending on where you live. So, thank your rescue and know that your adoption fee is helping cover that expense and others that may come along! 

Other SUPER DUPER pets with Cerebellar Hypoplasia 

We had ZERO experience with CH when we met Boogie Shoes, but we learned very quickly that there is a big, wobbly community out there you can connect with! Meet some of our IG friends who are living it up with CH: 

@arnie_the_wobbly_pup

@titusthebeagle

@troopers2cute

@twolittlebostons

@wobblycats 

If you are interested in adopting Connor or another SSR pet, please contact the rescue at www.ssrescue.org