Husker had his jaw wired for nearly a month, but his jaw was so rotten, from years of neglect, that in just a couple weeks, the wiring was failing, and his jaw was advancing in it's detachment. When it got to the point that it was wide open, they sewed his mouth shut, threading around his mandible and securing his jaw in place, through his snout. There was no guarentee that what little bone there was would seal itself together. There was a greater chance that, if it did work, it would break again and again; and there was nothing to surgically attach a titanium plate to.

The rescue felt that the funds would be better spent on healthier dogs; dogs that had a better chance of being adopted; and, that Husker did not deserve to live for 6 months with his jaw wired shut, unable to interact with his family and friends. He would then require constant care, to protect his exposed tongue and prevent further injury, in the event of amputation.

The foster mom, and founder of Husker's Hope, Carla Chapman, had no idea there were options. None were offered. All she could do was abide by the decision, but, opted to adopt Husker, first, so that he would go to the bridge as a member of a family that loved him; a member of her family. On October, 31, just 27 days into his freedom and less than 24 hours as a part of a family that loved him, Husker's mom held Husker in her arms as the veterinarian injected Him with the (rescue-ordered) final chapter of his last hope; And, he fell asleep, for the last time.

Since then, Carla has made it her mission to take on the dogs that no one wanted; Those with extreme medical, emotional and behavioral issues. Her mission was not only to give them a loving foster home, but to learn everything she could to help them heal; To give them hope; To prove to them and their new world, they were lovable, worthy and deserving of a chance at life, in spite of the odds.

All of the volunteers that work with Husker's Hope Dachshund Rescue have worked in rescue for many years. They have worked with special needs dogs, training behavior and obedience, and other issues that are common with dogs that have been abandoned or abused. All offer unique skills that are beyond valuable in our efforts to save lives. Although we specialize in dachshunds, we also work with other breeds, as being abandoned, hurt, abused or sick is NOT breed specific!