Baxter's Buddies

Baxter is what we named him.

He didn’t have a name before adopting him as he was just referred to as #627. Baxter was born in a puppy mill and then used as a breeding dog. When he was done being used by the miller, he was sold at a dog auction. Baxter was bought at the auction by a woman claiming to be a rescue and then resold. Baxter didn’t seem to be too lucky, and then he got his break.

I saw him advertised for “adoption” and had to meet him. The woman selling him reluctantly let me come and see him. She usually just ships dogs. So I met her at her Veterinarians clinic, which was a scary sight in itself. She pulled Baxter out of a kennel from the back of her van which was stacked with kennels full of dogs. After meeting me she was on her way to the airport to ship dogs to their new homes. Baxter was friendly enough, but at this point I just wanted him out of her hands. He was filthy. He was covered in horse feces from living with her farm animals. She keeps all dogs together with her farm animals and the dogs she breeds; unvaccinated and not spayed or neutered. Then once someone has paid for the dog, they are shipped. She would not let me have Baxter until payment of course and his neuter. She said she had to stay legal so she wouldn’t let me have him until the neuter. I guess there aren’t laws on where the dog is kept or how they are cared for?? So I went home and waited to pick him up after the weekend.

I got a phone call and was informed my poor little Baxter had been in a dog fight but is “just fine and no blood just a few scratches.” She wanted to know if I still wanted him. Of course! I just wanted him out of there ASAP! So I went to pick him up, but her Veterinarian is busy and will not meet with me. His assistants gave him to me and were very quiet. I soon find out why... Baxter was dying. He was so sick, not only were his gums pale, so was his tongue. His jaw was totally broke, he had traumatic hernias and cuts head to toe. He had so many cuts they were even between his toes. No pain meds or antibiotics were given but they did clean his teeth. I contacted this woman and she stated that “pain is a matter of opinion.” Poor guy had his teeth scraped and prodded with a totally broken jaw. I immediately took him on the 2 hour trek home. I promised him on the ride home he would never see people like that again and he would be safe. He was listless on the way home, but would occasionally cough. I then went straight to my Veterinarian and it didn’t look good. Little Baxter had pneumonia, a broken jaw, two traumatic hernia’s. The vets were astounded as these were the biggest hernias they had ever seen.

His ears were infected and draining down the side of his face causing hot spots. He also had worms and coccidia. That was the least of our worries. The vets wanted to wait for surgery on his jaw and hernia’s due to the risk of surgery while he had pneumonia. Baxter couldn’t wait, he was too ill. He had intestines and bowl looping into the hernias. Two Veterinarians’ did his surgery on his jaw and hernia’s. It was a very long and tough surgery, but he made it. We called him our “Christmas miracle” as it was just before Christmas. I had to be very careful with him and he really couldn’t walk or he would tear his sutures open. I also had to hand feed him. I was very careful but just a few days later his skin tore, not the sutures, and he then was taken to Iowa State University for surgery again. His surgery was a success but it was a long road ahead. For the next 6 weeks, I carried him everywhere and hand fed him. He was on so many medications and had so much going on. Baxter was a trooper through it all. He never complained and was grateful to be cared for. It was a long recovery and many surgeries; I believe 4 or 5 in his first 6 months with me. He is a healthy little guy now and those meet him would never guess where he came from. Those who saw him in the beginning can’t believe he made it or how good he looks. His coat used to be yellow and now it is white. I was for sure he would never be housebroke either. Coming from a mill and living in his excrement then is too ill to make it outside, I had my work cut out for me. But….he is housebroken. . From my experience with him and other dogs we have fostered, dogs do not want to go in their “home”. With diligence and persistence it can be done.

What I hope others will get from Baxter’s story is that not all dogs are as lucky as him to come out of a mill to a loving home or get out at all. Please do not support mills by buying from them or from pet stores. Every pet you buy from a pet store is replaced by another…and another. Someday I hope the laws will change and mills will not be allowed, but until then please do your part. If you don’t want to adopt and you want to buy, please find a responsible breeder. Just because it is registered doesn’t mean that they are good breeders. Baxter was registered!

You may have already come to the conclusion that Baxter, the little 14 pound dog, couldn’t have been in a dog fight with another dog his same size as the woman had stated. He would have sustained these wounds from either being run over by a vehicle or abused. I did turn the lady where Baxter came from into the State. Nothing was done to her with a lot of persistence on my part other than rattling her cage and she changed her “rescue” name. I have found out I am not the only person to turn her in either. If things are to change then so are the laws. Feel free to contact your state legislature. I have also contacted the USDA regarding millers. The requirements are food, water, and shelter whatever those may be. I have contacted AKC as well regarding registering millers and irresponsible backyard breeders. I have found that if you pay to have a dog registered than it is registered. They have no involvement with whom they register.

I know it seems like not a lot can be done to help. If enough people contacted their local government regarding the laws on breeding and how many dogs can be owned, I would hope the issue could be helped. Or if that pet store down the street who sells 50 dogs a week didn’t have people buying their dogs, there would not be a market to get more dogs in and the miller wouldn’t have the pet store to sell to. History wasn’t changed by people who sat back and watched. It was changed by those who got involved.