My husband Mike and I along with my children have been foster parents for 14 years. We have nursed back to health many abused dogs. One dog we kept 14 years. And then little champ came into our lives. He was a severely burned 12 week old little beagle puppy, found in the middle of the street by a good Samaritan. She called the police who called the dog warden and he brought him to the vet. The vet said he should be put down but John the warden said to wait until the morning. He then got into touch with our organization. They called me to pick up a puppy to try to nurse him back to health, and then the organization finds him a home. When I went to get him with a girlfriend at the shelter and he was placed into my arms I could hardly hold back my tears. My friend held him in the car as I drove to the vet to get him help. When we got there, their was a young girl in the waiting room with her dog. She cried when she seen him and said "Please take my place, I'll wait for the vet to see my dog." He was touching hearts from the very beginning. The vet gave me my instructions on how to take care of him: doses of antibiotics, pain medicine, creams and how to give him the proper baths. Then we began the process of helping him heal, but he had no will to live. All he wanted to do was live in a dark corner.

A very dear couple read his story in the paper and came with good advice as to how we can help him. They brought little puppy pajamas. Because his whole body was basically burned the pajamas acted like a large bandage. They told us to get a cage and put a blanket over it so he would feel safe in it. We took the advice. We would put him in the cage but never closed the door. We hoped he would come out but he never did. He was so weak he would hardly get up. He was so full of fear it broke all of our hearts. As I began to put the medicine on him he would scream but I had to endure his cries so that he would be well again. The pain medicine would only do so much. The only comfort he would get is if you sat on the floor to pet him under his chin where he was not burned. Its something to see what the power of love will do. Day by day his physical pain was getting less and less. But his emotional pain was something else. We literally had to pull him out of his cage because he didn't know if he could trust us. My friends would come over and try to get him to come around a little bit. We were always there and showed him a lot of attention. Everybody would bring him toys and treats but he would wind up just getting scared and running back in his dark little cage to hide in the corner where he felt the safest. 

One day when I came home I seen a couple of toys in his cage. I asked my daughter and she didn't do it. I know Champ didn't get them on his own. My older dog put all of his toys in Champ's cage for him. He would never play. As the days pass by I had to try to get him to live again. I took the blanket off of his cage and let the light in. I didn't want him in darkness anymore. All day I would just keep taking him out even though I knew he would just run right back in. My husband, at this time had just gone on disability having had cancer and a heart attack. As he began to help Champ live, Champ in a way helped him also. Champ began enjoying the light, then slowly not wanting to run back to his cage. When people would come he slowly came out to greet them. I knew his wounds inside were being healed. Then one day I just took down the cage. I said "Champ you are going to know what life is like to live free, no more cage." He began to like walking around, but he still never played like a real puppy yet. It wasn't good enough for me to just have him live, I wanted him to live life abundantly. We had to teach him to play. And finally he learned, he would run and play like he should of done in the beginning, but all he knew then was pain and suffering.

Now that Champ was well, he was ready to go up for adoption. So many people wanted him. A family was chosen, they were coming in a few days to pick him up. I prepared him for them in my mind. I was thinking how do I teach them to look into his eyes and know what he wants. He knew my hands and always placed his head in them and sat on my lap to sleep. I realized I could not give him up. I got champ ready for adoption but then realized my family and I didn't.

My husband and Champ now go to schools and pet shops where they have read his story and seen him on television. He brings joy to all who see him. He truly is our miracle dog, many prayers were said and I believe were answered also. May he continue to bring hope to all '" he meets and all who reads his story.

God says in the bible "Not even a sparrow worth only half a penny can fall to the ground without your heavenly father knowing it" God saw his suffering and brought him to us as a reminder that God sees our suffering also, and there is always hope even in the worst situation.

- Janice Martin 2009

Mike and Janice would like to extend their sincere appreciation to all who have assisted Champ on his road to recovery and would like to offer a special thanks to:

Karen Helton Rhodes, DVM
Riverdale Veterinary Dermatology
82 Newark Pompton Tpke
Riverdale, NJ 07457
973-831-2383
email: vetderm@optonline.net
www.njvetderm.com

Joanne Silver
The Bright Beautiful Therapy Dogs, Inc.
201-848-9229
email: silvereck@carroll.com
www.golden-dogs.org

Valley Brook Veterinary Hospital
3-21 Saddle River Road
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
201-796-5833

Marge Kayne
Start2