Amazing Gracie

Gracie, a young Basset Hound, came into the care of Hope Rescue in November 2010 suffering from severe glaucoma in one eye, and early signs of glaucoma and a cherry eye condition in the other. She needed an essential operation before she could go to her new, forever home.

She was taken in to a veterinary practice in Wales to be put to sleep by her puppy farmer "owner", along with Roly, a young chocolate Labrador who was the runt of his litter, subsequently diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia. 

As with many dogs from puppy farms, Gracie had simply become ‘surplus to requirements’ as she could not generate any income in her current condition.  Kept in appalling conditions, she had been denied the medical treatment she needed and was in excruciating pain.

Fortunately for Gracie (and Roly), the Vet contacted one of our foster homes and asked if Hope Rescue would take them both in. Gracie had an operation on her cherry eye (kindly carried out by the same Vet at no charge to Hope) and there was a chance that her other eye could be saved. Sadly the membrane on her eye has deteriorated and needed to be removed.

The cost of Gracie’s operation was £400, paid for by the very generous donations from supporters who responded to our fundraising appeal. But the sad fact is that if the breeder had sought veterinary attention for Gracie when he should have, it would have cost a few pounds only for the medication that would have alleviated her suffering. Instead he did nothing and let her suffer for months, in agony, and then only took her to the Vet to be put to sleep when he had been inspected by the Local Authority!   

Please read more about our Amazing Gracie.

Gracie has now moved on to a loving new home under our Assisted Adoption scheme. This scheme has recently been introduced to give our dogs with ongoing or anticipated future medical problems, a better of chance of finding a forever home. An Assisted Adoption means Hope Rescue will work in partnership with her forever family and remain responsible for veterinary bills related to her eye conditions. The adoptive family will be responsible for all other veterinary costs including routine procedures such as vaccinations.

This is lucky little Gracie in her new home: