Today, Lachy is healthy, and you’d never guess what happened! Unfortunately, Lachy fell out of a four-story window. Although he survived the fall, that was the beginning of his recovery period. He was diagnosed with pneumothorax (air in his chest), multiple rib and pelvic fractures, and he was non-weight bearing in one of his hind limbs. After time at the vet, he was transported to the Seattle Animal Shelter a few days after his accident.
Senior veterinarian at the Seattle Animal Shelter, Dr. Watlington, was able to provide us with more details of Lachy’s medical condition. When he arrived at the shelter, he was very sweet and easy to handle. His pelvic fractures were non-surgical. He was put on exercise restriction and pain medication to help manage his discomfort. The shelter’s behaviorist, Tina, did a wonderful job identifying his enrichment needs. Lachy is a Belgian Malinois, a very high-energy breed, so he needed a bit more stimulation in his kennel since he wasn’t going on long walks or able to play. Being confined was a tough situation for this active boy. On top of being active, his foster parent said, “He’s driven, smart, affectionate with his people, guards the house, good with other dogs. He picks things up super-fast…Things like advanced obedience, agility, nose work etc.” After some time, Lachy was sent to a veterinary rehabilitation facility for a consultation, and it was concluded that his pelvic fractures were healing very well. He was able to move to a foster home to continue his healing in a more peaceful environment for about two months.
Since Lachy is a breed that is both active and smart, his foster family mentioned, “He’s a really good dog for someone that wants and knows how to work with driven guarding and working breeds. If I was able to fully have the choice, he would not go to first time dog owners or to someone that lives in an apartment downtown or someone that wants a “normal house” dog.” Belgian Malinois are known for being highly obedient and protective, which means Lachy needs extra room for activities!
While in foster, his foster parents did only on-leash activity for a month with slowly increased walk time. As activity increased, Lachy’s foster family started to explore more of his interests, “I learned today that he LOVES water, from a kiddie pool in our yard. He’d be the best hiking and alpine lake swimming buddy!”
Luckily, this good boy was adopted last week and has gone to a loving home. We are proud of our animal success stories here at the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation, and we owe a lot of thanks to our amazing sponsors for making these types of stories possible!