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12 News & People.com: Unidentifiable Dog Makes Astounding Recovery
News Highlights:
- UPDATE: Baby Yoda has been adopted! The Krajnak family saw her story on social media and knew that she would be the perfect fit in their home, as their Golden Retriever, Jordy, also has ongoing allergies. Baby Yoda and Jordy became best buds immediately and are getting along great in their home in Chandler.
- Baby Yoda, a 7-year-old German Shepherd, along with more than 30 other pets, was rescued by the Arizona Humane Society's Emergency Animal Medical Technicians in February.
- She was in the worst condition of the pets rescued that day. When she arrived for treatment in AHS' Second Chance Animal Trauma Hospital™ she was almost completely hairless, covered in scabs, could not comfortably settle down without scratching her irritated skin until it bled, and needed a great deal of dental work. Baby’s treatment for demodectic mange included medicated baths, low-level laser therapy and oral medications along with lots of love in an AHS Foster Hero home. Though she has made an incredible transformation during this time, she does have ongoing medical needs, mostly due to allergies, that will require financial support throughout her lifetime.
- Five months later, she's made a miraculous recovery and is ready to find her forever home! Due to her ongoing medical needs, mostly due to allergies, AHS is asking people who are interested in adopting Baby Yoda her to please fill out an application at www.azhumane.org/babyyoda. Baby Yoda is friendly with all people and other dogs. She previously lived with dogs and cats, though we do not have any information on her interactions with cats.
12 News
People.com
German Shepherd Makes Incredible 5-Month Transformation and Finds a Forever Home
Seven-year-old Baby Yoda’s breed was unrecognizable when she was first rescued from "horrific conditions" by the Arizona Humane Society (AHS) in early February.
Nearly five months later, however, the German Shepherd has found a happy ending: she has been adopted.
"When she arrived for treatment in AHS' Second Chance Animal Trauma Hospital she was almost completely hairless, covered in scabs, and could not comfortably settle down without scratching her irritated skin until it bled," a release from the humane society said of Baby Yoda.
It added that she also needed extensive dental work and was living in "extreme pain" but still "maintained the sweetest personality." Veterans in the animal welfare world at the AHS broke down in tears at Baby Yoda’s heartbreaking experience.
In a video filmed halfway through the dog’s recovery, AHS’ Vice president of medical operations, Dr. Melissa Thompson, said, "If you were to look at Baby Yoda, you wouldn’t be able to tell that it was a German Shepherd. There’s maybe a few hairs that stick out of her head."
"All this hair loss is because she’s been scratching and itching and there’s been so much damage to her hair follicles, the hair comes out," she continued. "So this isn’t something that happens overnight, this happens over a long period of time. This poor dog has just been miserable."
Read full story.