Gizmo's Tale

**Update: Gizmo has been adopted!** Please check out your local shelter, where wonderful dogs like Gizmo are urgently waiting for a special person like YOU to take them home!

Once upon a time there was a dog named Gizmo. Poor Gizmo couldn’t seem to get himself a break and he found himself in the animal shelter.

Even at the shelter, Gizmo had a smile on his face.

 Nice people came, and nice people went. Many of them took home Gizmo’s shelter pals. But no one came for Gizmo. Gizmo didn't seem to be that special: he was black and mediumish and someone told him he was a "pit bull." But Gizmo was special. 

Gizmo started coughing, and he was no longer adoptable. He was put on the line for rescue. Still no one came for him. 

Finally, Gizmo’s last day came. 

Then his last hours. 

Then his last few minutes.

 And that’s where Gizmo got his big break: Tough Love foster, Ashley, came for him. So Gizmo was out! And he had toys, and a warm bed to sleep on, and another young dog to play with, and bunny rabbits and guinea pigs to investigate with great enthusiasm! And love. Oh, sweet and healing love. 

Gizmo and Wickford (now Boba). 

And Gizmo's foster mom soon found out all that made Gizmo wonderful. He was so smart, and learned lots of commands quickly; he was so sweet, and loved snuggling and giving kisses; he was playful and fun, and he kept his foster mom smiling. 

And then Gizmo waited. He watched his rescue friends find homes. He waited some more. The summer months slipped by; autumn wove its cooling breezes through the Tucson mountains. 

One nice fall day, Gizmo went for a walk with his foster mom and foster sister, CC. A roaming dog attacked them, but Gizmo was too nice a boy even to defend himself. Poor Gizmo, back at the vet. 

But, good news! Gizmo soon met a potential adopter! A wonderful couple with a beautiful young doggie playmate for him! But on the eve of his adoption, the adopter was laid off work, and decided a new dog was not the best idea at the time. 

So Gizmo lost his first chance at "happily ever after."

And soon Gizmo was back at the vet yet again. His cough seemed to be back, and his eye seemed to be bothering him too. More meds for Gizmo. In the meantime, a very nice adopter wanted to meet Gizmo. Things went great! His cough seemed better, but the eye did not. Gizmo went back to the vet. 

The vet referred him to a specialist, who diagnosed him with anterior uveitis, and sent him home on some medicines. Gizmo then went to another vet, and was diagnosed with valley fever, and he was put on fluconazole. 

And the second adopter, worried about his diagnoses, stepped back. 

And Gizmo's second chance at "happily ever after" seemed to be slipping away. 

And the eye didn’t get better. 

This morning we learned that Gizmo’s eye needs to be removed. He is completely blind in the eye, and it is causing him pain. Keeping the eye risks spreading the infection from the eye to the rest of his body. Removing the eye will ensure the infection is gone and that Gizmo can live a happy life. We are preparing him for surgery right now. The eye will be removed today. Anyone wanting to donate to help defray this considerable expense can do so by clicking the link: CLICK TO DONATE!

Gizmo waiting for surgery

Gizmo had a meet and greet with a wonderful family on New Year’s Day. They have twin 9-year-old children and a farm and Gizmo will have a little boy as his best friend and a pug to hang out with during the day. But Gizmo was supposed to go home tomorrow. And that won’t happen. And we are just heartbroken that this sweet, smart, playful boy might lose yet another adopter. Gizmo is loved here, and he will be well cared for until he is adopted. But this dog deserves a home of his own. A home where he is somebody’s baby. 

This is one guy who has been waiting long enough for his chance at a happy ending. 

Gizmo in his Halloween best :)