A Second Chance For Rider

It takes a village to rescue a dog, which is something Monica Roland and a team of volunteers knew when rescuing a Riverside County pup named Rider. The remarkable dog was struck by a vehicle on July 27. Photos taken of Rider dragging his hind legs behind him to get out of the road outraged Roland when she saw them, so she immediately became the dog's foster mom. She even stayed with him for seven hours at the veterinarian's office, where surgery was done to save his legs. Luckily for Rider, he was microchipped by the previous shelter in which he stayed, which gives a dog 10 days to have its owners notified as opposed to the normal three day hold. Even though Rider's family could not be reached, the extra time gave Roland a chance to contact Heath's Haven of Idaho, ran by Jolene Heath. The shelter specializes in saving disabled and handicapped animals. Soon after reaching out to Heath's Haven Dog Rescue, Roland enlisted the help of the nonprofit Pilots and Paws. A volunteer pilot named Valerie Berg, and two friends, flew Rider non-stop from San Bernardino to Idaho last week, where he is having a speedy recovery and regaining strength in his legs. “We as a society turn a blind eye to strays because it's all we see; it's like we're desensitized, but if everyone said, 'It's our problem,' then a lot of these dogs would get a second chance," said Roland. "They could be therapy dogs. They’re not just animals. They are living beings, they are our friends, our pets. They have feelings.” Just like Rider, many other dogs have been rescued by Heath's Haven, where dogs are given hydrotherapy,and acupressure. For more information about Rider's recovery, or more info on adopting a dog with disabilities, check out the Heath's Haven Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/heathshavenrescue.