Small Dog Rescue of Minnesota (SDR) is an all-volunteer group committed to the rescue, rehabilitation, and placement of dogs 20 pounds and under.

Hi, my name is Chico, and I met the wonderful people at Small Dog Rescue in June this year.  They promised to find me a fun and loving new family, but they have given me so much more already!  When Kelly first saw me at the Adoption Event, she realized that I probably had a condition called "luxating patella".  Well she was right- and the vet said my knee was so bad that there wasn’t even a spot for my kneecap to rest.  That must be why I have never felt steady on my feet, and I used to get really nervous when people tried to pick me up.  SDR immediately scheduled surgery for me, and they even had an orthopedic specialist come to operate on me.

A couple days after the surgery, I realized that all the stress and pain of surgery was definitely worth it!  My knee is stable now- no more wiggling in and out while I stand or walk.  Before I even realized it, I was able to cross the kitchen floor without losing my footing!  My foster mom was so happy to turn around and see me standing in the kitchen looking up at her that she started to cry tears of joy.  I don’t even mind being picked up anymore, which is good because I need help getting up stairs and on to the bed until my knee is healed.

The doctor gave me yummy joint supplement treats to help my knee grow strong and healthy while I recover.  I already took all of my other medicine like a good little boy- and tomorrow I get my stitches out! 

Thank you, thank you, thank you SDR and everyone else who is able to donate to help pay for my care.  You are all such amazing people.   I am a very lucky and grateful pooch!