This letter below was written by Tivoli's 2 caretakers Susan and Randa at The Humane Society of the Ochocos.
This was so touching, I wanted to share with you...
Tivoli is one of those dogs you will never forget. If he sits on your lap, you know you've been sat on. If you're lucky enough to be loved by Tivoli, you know you've been loved. If he asks you to dance, you best be wearing some steel toed boots.
Tivoli, whose real name we'll never know, is a 7 1/2 year old Shar Pei/Pit Bull mix. He had been seen wandering out by the reservoir and had finally collapsed at a residence along the highway. It was a hot summer day June 2008 when he was found, and those who found him could not even identify his breed or his color. He smelled like gasoline and had burns over 90 percent of his body. He had a dislocated hip and numerous lacerations. He spent a week in intensive care and a month at a local animal hospital. He was brought to The Humane Society of the Ochocos to recover with little hope for his future. His skin finally blistered and peeled off and his hip started healing with the help of a metal pin. And every once in a while we saw the glimpse of a smile.
His recovery has been slow. His feet and skin are still very tender, and though he would love to go on long walks, or sleep in the sun on a warm day, he is unable to due to his injuries. His hair is finally growing back in little tufts and it turns out he's a red head. Perhaps he's Irish. We should have named him Paddy O'Malley.
He does have the occasional temper tantrum in the middle of the night when he destroys everything in his room. Everything that is, except a silly rubber alligator which he carries around like his wrinkled little baby. Like I said, if you're lucky enough to be loved by Tivi you know you've been loved. Tivi may never get over the abuse he has suffered, but this shelter is determined to help him get through it, and beyond it, and hopefully someday find the home that he was meant to have!
Tivis' Caretakers,
Susan and Randa
