Costello's Story

CUTIE ALERT! Costello is one of the dogs from the New Years Eve hoarding intake that were living in horrible conditions.

He is estimated at 2-3 years old, 15-lbs, Mini Poodle mix, how adorable is he! Coming from a horrible situation, understandable he is a little skittish until you get to know him, so he needs patience. He has learned to play with toys which he loves, loving any dog treats, & loves running fast out in the fenced yard.
You would never know it by the way he runs around, but he has a wonky rear leg & we had an x-ray done when he was neutered. Turns out he has a Grade 4/4 luxating patella in the right rear leg. The orthopedic surgeon went over his x-rays & said it’s a laterally luxated patella & extremely rare. The rest of his bones looked normal, so the assumption is it was caused by some sort of trauma. Due to the positioning, surgery could be done, but in his experience, it will likely reoccur quickly after, so surgery is not a good option. He is not in any type of pain, & it definitely doesn’t slow him down! His left leg has a Grade 1 luxating patella.
He has had some fecal issues, totally understandable coming from the bad living conditions, diet, & stress, but it is slowly getting better, he eats great. Aside from this, he is a healthy boy & is looking for a loving & patient home with good treats!

He could be the only dog in the home who gets lots of attention, BUT also could have another dog who is tolerant of his "puppy" ways. He really never got to be a true puppy & playing, so he is going through this stage now. He is shy of new people, but once he knows he’s safe, he’s such a fun & happy little guy. We suggest not super little kids due to his "puppy" ways, but respectable kids who understand would be alright. He learned the foster's doggy door very quickly & proudly goes in & out without being told to go. He’s loving the clean living!

We are “REQUIRING” a fenced yard. Things still scare him. He’s doing ok on leash, but still a little scared of sudden noises. Does not like the cold weather, so with the past super cold temps, going for walks has had to be delayed, we are giving him time to continue to relax.

 The adorable plaid flannel coat he's wearing was donated by Gerilynn Blue in memory of her precious Diamond, 12.5 years of trust & love. She donated a number of these great jackets to Heart for other dogs, they will be put to good use! His turquoise harness is donated by Joyride Harness, who has donated many harnesses to Heart.

If interested in adopting Costello, please go to www.heartrescueteam.com to submit an application. His adoption fee is $300.00.