Paws on Your Heart Pet Rescue Support

Rudy has a story of hope and survival that she wants you to hear, because you were part of it. 

One day, not long after Rudy was surrendered to an animal shelter in Dubuque, she woke up with complete paralysis of her hind legs. She couldn’t walk, feel pain, or even empty her bladder. Shelter staff reached out to one of Paws on Your Heart’s 2023 grantees that specializes in providing and guiding advanced medical care for rescue pets.

Under our grantee’s care, Rudy was rushed to a specialty veterinary hospital. An MRI confirmed a horribly ruptured disc that was severely compressing her spinal cord. Even with surgery, doctors gave her only a 10% chance of recovering full mobility. It wasn’t good news, but neurosurgery was performed.

A few days later, the unexpected happened. Rudy’s could sense deep pain in both hind legs, AND she could move her tail! Her doctors were stunned!

Then, this determined little puggle returned to Dubuque where she began extensive post-op rehab therapy. This involved walking on an underwater treadmill and lots of other exercises that were both functional and fun for Rudy. 

AND . . . 6 weeks after her operation, Rudy was able to WALK into her surgery recheck appointment, with her tail high and wagging!!! As she greeted her neurosurgeon, it was hard to tell who was happier!

After being given only a 10% chance of walking again, Rudy beat the odds!! All because HOPE guided the decision to operate and give her a chance.

We celebrate Rudy’s story because this is EXACTLY why Paws on Your Heart Pet Rescue Support exists: to reach out to deserving rescues to support their good work rescuing homeless, and often needy, dogs like Rudy—and cats too—all over Iowa.

But we can only do this with you by our sides. So, please give generously on Great Give Day 2024 to help make more Rudy stories happen.

And wait, there is MORE good news!!

In addition to giving grants, Paws on Your Heart offers hands-on support to interested grantees.

Some of our help we call “easy buttons.” We provide sources for needed products (such as food and litter), promote posting of Wish Lists and visible “donate” buttons on websites, offer novel fundraising ideas, and more. 

We also help with grants that organizations can apply for. This includes specific grant tips, grant coaching on how to make proposals successful, and more.

It all adds up. To see examples of our hands-on rescue support, please see the Media Gallery below. 

And “support” is what makes this work continue. With help from our generous donors, we are able to reach out and GIVE MORE GRANTS EACH YEAR!

Rescues gain support, needy pets in their care benefit, and YOU—our wonderful donors—get to share this with us and know that you too are helping save homeless dogs and cats in Iowa.

And you don’t need to take our word for it. Each winter, we gather success stories from our current grantees, and we share these with all our donors. You can see your gift dollars at work! 

So, please join us on Great Give Day 2024, May 15, and make an online donation to Paws on Your Heart Pet Rescue Support. We thank you, and so do many dogs and cats who have no voice, but who are grateful too for your help.