My name is Bucky - SEEKING FOSTER HOME!

Bucky - SEEKING FOSTER HOME ONLY

‼️SPECIAL NEEDS: Heartworm positive. MUST be able to get Bucky to Kitchener to receive treatment. Please see details below. Must be willing to administer medication as needed. Foster home will be required to send daily updates on Bucky to the BSDRO team.

**IMPORTANT: Please read all details about Bucky before applying to foster him, as he is seeking a special placement with specific requirements. He is not available for adoption at this time.

🔷~4 year old male
🔷In foster care since: October 11, 2024
🔷Fostered in: Dutton, Ontario
🔷Seeking foster care in: Any location in SW Ontario so long as the foster home is able to drive him to Kitchener on days 30, 60, and 61 of treatment, as well as additional days if other medical needs become present
🔷Good with: children, female dogs
🔷Selective with: some dogs (especially males), cats, small mammals. Slow and proper introduction is a must
🔷NO apartments or townhouses

Meet Bucky! The amazingly resilient good boy who's finally ready to meet the world!

Bucky came into the care of BSDRO in early October as a severe case of neglect and abuse. He was tethered to a dumpster, where he was found in a severe state of emaciation, weighing in at only 38 lbs. We know these photos look alarming, but with much love and care, Bucky is on the upswing and getting stronger every day. He has spent the last 2 months with one of our coordinators, and as his health is slowly but steadily improving, he is now ready to enter our foster care program!

Bucky is guesstimated to be around 4 years old and believed to be a bulldog mix. He came into care at 38 pounds (a far cry from the 70-90 pounds that a dog of his breed make up should be), and is now weighing in at a healthier but still very underweight 51 pounds. Despite the look of his weathered body, he is a strong boy who can still hold his own.

Bucky is, unfortunately but not surprisingly, heartworm positive. He will shortly be beginning heartworm treatment at our vets office in Kitchener, and will need a foster who is able to get him to these appointments as needed. Bucky will start treatments with a course of antibiotics, and then will need to attend the vet clinic on days 30, 60, and 61 of treatment to receive injections.

Heartworm and heartworm treatment require extremely restricted activity, which means the foster home must understand that while Bucky is undergoing treatment for a number of months, he will not be able to run, jump, or play. He will need to spend all of his time in a crate resting, only going outside for short periods of time on a short length leash with his foster to use the potty, and then returning inside to rest. We understand that this can be quite difficult to watch a dog in this state and feel like they are “trapped”, but it is extremely important that care rules are strictly followed in order to keep Bucky alive and healing. A few months of stillness may just grant Bucky an entire lifetime that he would otherwise have missed out on. A member of our care team as well as our vet will go over all treatment plans with the foster family.

Bucky is a really good boy who is learning the ropes of living indoors after likely living outdoors his entire life. He is currently housed with multiple other dogs, cats, and children. Bucky does well with the children but is not always mindful of his size, so has been known to knock small ones down in his excitement. He does well with the female dogs in the home, but has shown selectiveness to male dogs. As Bucky is not yet neutered and will not be until his health has improved, he cannot be placed in a home with an intact female dog. Bucky has been exposed to cats but has shown that he gets excited when they’re present and may chase.

Due to the need for Bucky to remain still, calm, and quiet over the coming months, he can only be placed in a home that has no other animals to excite him, or a home that has a space where he can be kept separated and not see other animals to get him excited and jumpy. Bucky is needing to be moved because his current placement with our coordinator is a much too busy and excitable household that is not conducive with the rules of his upcoming treatment.

Bucky cannot be placed in an apartment or townhouse, or any home with a wall shared with neighbours, as he will often bark while in his crate while he is trying to settle. While it’s not terribly loud, we cannot risk him needing to be moved mid-treatment if there is a complaint, so this rule is very important and only detached homes will be considered at this time. This will be a long term placement with a minimum 4 month commitment, but likely longer. The foster home must understand that moving Bucky mid-treatment would be detrimental to his health, and be willing to sign on for the entire time. BSDRO will provide you with all needed supplies.

Bucky is absolutely full of love and has been right from day one, even after everything he's endured.
When you enter the room, Bucky can be seen happily shaking his bum with his little stubby tail wagging away in excitement. He's even been known to stand up and give you a really big hug (and if you're lucky, a slobbery kiss!). Bucky LOVES car rides and loves to hang his head out of the window and let his big flappy lips catch the wind. He is quickly learning commands and knows “sit” and “paw” already.

If you believe you can provide Bucky with the space he needs while he receives his treatments, please fill out our foster application.

If you’d like more information on what Bucky’s care and treatment will include, please send us a message.