We rescued Calvin from Hamilton Animal Control where he found himself as a stray. Upon his arrival at HAC, he was infested with fleas, had a large open tumour on his leg and was painfully thin. Someone had seriously neglected this poor dog. 

We took Calvin straight from HAC to the vet where he was neutered and the tumour was removed. Turns out the tumour was cancerous, but it had not spread to any other areas and Calvin is just fine.

Here’s a note from Calvin’s foster mom:

“Let us introduce you to Calvin – our new, much anticipated, foster boy!  Calvin was the victim of extreme neglect and was surrendered to the animal control is a state of starvation, with an ulcerated mass on his leg and a heavy flea infestation.  I wish he could tell us his story, but we think he had a happy home at some point in his life because he is the sweetest most well mannered man – he is both playful and gentle, and easily adapts himself to whatever is going on around him.  It has been truly remarkable to see his transformation over the past few weeks – from a lonely, neglected boy with so little hope, to the regal gentleman we see today.  He is great when meeting other dogs in the park, and has adopted our dog Jack as his role model (…and has so far learned to sit before dinner and before going outside, and he responds very well to the command ‘out’ if, for example, he is sniffing into the kitchen while we’re cooking and starting to get underfoot.)
I will never forget this moment when Calvin first realized he was safe.  He had been with us for about 36 hours – after (barely) living in neglect, 2 weeks in animal control then a few days at the vets office, you can only imagine Calvin had no idea which way was up or what was going to happen next.  We had curled up to watch a movie with Calvin at our feet, however when the movie was over, Calvin didn’t get up.  This was especially odd since Brittany Spaniels are usually very alert dogs and Calvin had been no exception so far.  A bit concerned, I gave him a pet along his (still boney) ribs.  He took a deep slow breath and slowly opened a heavy eyelid to peer up at me.  He sat up and I gave him a chest rub – then his eyelids became just too heavy and he drooped his head down to get another 30 seconds of sleep.  He lingered for more rubs, then gave himself a shake and happily trotted outside with Jack for his nightly pee.  I think they say the rest is history for this sweet little man….he knew life was starting to get better for him and he could finally relax.

Being a Brittany Spaniel, Calvin is alert, energetic and loving.  We have noted that 11 years old for a Brittany is probably the equivalent of 6 years old in most other breeds – someone at the park asked if he was a puppy the other day!  Calvin would love to join a family that is active (he gets two 15-20 min walks a day right now, and a big backyard might just be heaven for him!), but equally wants to snuggle up with him and read a good book or watch a movie.  In the house, he is quiet and endearing and will sometimes put his head gently on your lap in hopes of a head and ear rub.  He doesn’t bark when people come to the door, although he has barked occasionally at a squirrel he sees out the window.  He is quick to learn from verbal correction though and he has only barked once in the past 3 days.  Calvin would do best with company of some kind – he has a lifetime of love to give and we would hate for him to be alone for long periods of time.  He has even made friends with our 2 cats….which is no easy feat :)”

January 2015 – An update from Calvin’s forever home:
“Hi everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.  I have been meaning to send you an update on our little man for quite awhile and apologize for not doing it sooner.  Our other dog, Marley, had an eye operation a few weeks ago, and then the holidays came rushing in.

Calvin is doing great!  He is currently sleeping at my feet snoring away.  We recently had him see our vet just so they could meet him and do a check up, and he’s a pretty healthy guy.  They were amazed at what a nice boy he is, but then again we hear that from most people!  People who see him regularly are amazed at how much healthier he looks now that he has put some weight on and is getting some long curly hair in places 🙂  I did make an appointment for early next week as I noticed he has a lump on his front left leg near where his previous tumor was removed.   It has come on quite quickly as I regularly check the area.  Hopefully it’s nothing major, but we’ll get a full work up and let you know.
As I said, Calvin has been a great addition to the family.  He definitely follows Marley’s lead and finds comfort in having him around.  They are very similar in personalities, and I think Calvin has pushed Marley to be a bit more active outside which seems to help his arthritis symptoms.  He was starting to get a bit lazy before Calvin came around 🙂  The dogs love car rides when we go to see my in-laws.  They live on 300+ acres, and our two dogs plus two other labs in the family have a ball running around through the woods and chasing after the kids on their four-wheeler.
Calvin is such a lover and really enjoys snuggles.  He loves to be outside, and when he’s inside he’s either curled up on his bed or staring intently out one of the windows.  He is definitely a mama’s boy, and is typically right by my side.  He didn’t play with toys much when we brought him home aside from chewing on a bone here and there.  Now he really enjoys chewing on and playing tug of war with the stuffed toys as well.  Him and Marley always grab a toy and bring it to greet us at the door 🙂
Everyone who meets Calvin falls instantly in love including little ones.  Our niece and nephew really enjoy having him around, and our neighbors have two young girls who will curl right up on Calvin’s bed with him.  We are so thrilled that this guy got another chance in life and couldn’t be happier with him.  Again we send our highest thanks and praise for helping him and all of the other rescues you do!

Kind regards and hugs-
Joelle, Adam, Calvin, and the rest of the gang”

March 6th, 2015 – An update from Calvin’s forever home

“Hi ladies! I hope you’re all doing well. I wanted to send you a quick update on Calvin. I have kept in touch his his foster mom, Liz, but I’m not sure if you’re aware of Calvin’s crazy year thus far.

In early January we noticed a small growth where Calvin’s previous tumor had been removed on his leg. After seeing our family vet, we were referred to the oncologist. They tested some cells from the mass, and we were told that cancer cells were present. The oncologist believed the tumor was acting aggressively. We could either have it removed again and follow up with chemo/radiation or have the leg amputated. After speaking with a few doctors, the consensus was that given the location of the mass, the surgeon would not be able to remove enough of it to allow for chemo or radiation to be effective. We had a very tough decision to make which led to many tears and sleepless nights, but we decided it was in Calvin’s best interest to amputate the leg. This was the best shot we had at completely removing the cancer. Calvin had the operation on January 14th. Everything went great, and Calvin had no complications. We were astonished to see him up and moving about the next evening when we brought him home. He adapted so amazingly well. Their resilience is pretty incredible!
We received the pathology results which showed the tumor had grown more aggressive and was a grade 2. They also biopsied the lymph node which was shown to be clear of any malignancies. It was a tough decision and heartbreaking to see him go through, but he is healthy and happy and has shattered our expectations. He is just as cute, loving, and happy as ever. We are so thankful for him in more ways that I can count. On Valentine’s Day, our lab, Marley, passed away. We went through a week of him not able to walk and in severe pain. He was in and out of the hospital for tests which eventually showed a few tumors one which was pressing on his spinal cord and causing back end function failure and visible and audible pain. He was placed on some meds, but we were told all we could do was focus on keeping him comfortable. When we brought him home from the neurologist, we had two days to spend before he passed. Calvin was such a loving brother and never left his side. We all slept on the living room floor, and I know Marley was comforted by the company of us and his furry friends. We are crushed to have lost our lovely boy, and Calvin is such a blessing to have during this difficult time. It is impossible to look into those big eyes and not feel instant love and admiration. Calvin is missing his buddy for sure 🙁
I have attached a few pictures from the last month, Calvin comforting Marley, Calvin snuggling with us and some kitties, and a winter walk we took him on last weekend. He is such a sweet soul, and we are so in love with him!
I follow all of the stories you post, and I just wanted to say, keep up the wonderful work you all do 🙂 I could not say thank you enough!
Joelle (Calvin’s mom)”

January 15/16 – An update from Calvin’s adopter:
“Hi ladies!

It has been close to a year since we’ve sent an update. Time sure does fly!

Our man Calvin is doing great! He has slowed down a bit, but he isn’t a young pup, and getting around on three legs tires him more quickly. His resilience after everything he had been through and the amputation is so inspiring. He’s so sweet and loving and everyone just adores him. Yesterday marked one year since his amputation, and there have been no issues. We have had a lump or two tested which ended up being fatty tissue. He was recently in for xrays as we’ve noticed some strange breathing noises at times, but his lungs, trachea and nasal passages all look clear. What a relief!!

Calvin doesn’t play much with toys but when Adam and I return from being out he happily grabs a toy and brings it to us. He loves to lay next to the back patio doors and watch the squirrels that I feed daily. He’s not as confident jumping into our bed for a snuggle, but we have a cuddle on his bed in the mornings. He is quiet and so well behaved, but he occasionally looks for mischief if we’re not home 🙂

All in all he’s happy and healthy and brings us so much happiness. Thanks again for all of your kindness towards him and all of the other amazing animals you help! Calvin sends lots of love!! Here are a few recent pictures.”