Charlotte recovering but remains fearful

ARL first told you about Charlotte, a 10-month-old mixed-breed puppy in late September, when she was found in Belmont, MA, after being lost for a month. It’s miraculous she was able to survive on her own for that amount of time.

Charlotte was emaciated, weighing just 23 pounds when she was found, and also suffered from a fracture in the balled-end of the femur, which connects to the hip joint. To alleviate the pain and discomfort and to avoid lasting impacts, ARL Shelter Medicine Staff decided that a complete hip replacement was necessary.

Charlotte’s surgery was successful, and is now well on her way to recovery.

Charlotte undergoes an exam before surgery.

You can see Charlotte's new hip on the bottom of the photo.

Another view of Charlotte's new hip.

The surgery was successful, but Charlotte remains fearful.

ARL's behavioral staff continues to work with Charlotte, and she will hopefully be available for adoption soon!

However, like many animals who are transported from the South, Charlotte was under-socialized and remains fearful of new people, places and other animals. But that’s where ARL’s behavioral experts come in.

Charlotte is currently in foster care, where there are other dogs in the home. She is learning to be around other animals, and is also becoming braver by the day with new people. Despite her skittishness, Charlotte is extremely friendly and does warm up fairly quickly.

Animals are of course resilient, and Charlotte will continue her physical and mental recovery, and will hopefully be made available for adoption soon.

Have a Behavioral Questions?

If you have basic behavioral questions about your pet, such as excessive barking, crate training, house soiling, etc., call ARL’s FREE Pet Behavior Helpline at (617) 226-5666 or email behaviorhelpline@arlboston.org and an ARL representative will respond within 48 hours.

Help Charlotte and Other Animals Like Her

ARL Shelter Medicine provides all levels of high-quality care – from wellness exams to complex surgeries. ARL’s Behavioral Department evaluates every dog and cat that enters ARL’s facilities and then tailors an individual plan to help the animal overcome behavioral issues and blossom.

Our goal is to ensure that animals are healthy and happy, and it’s because of the support of caring and compassionate people like you who make this possible. Please consider a donation to ARL today to help Charlotte and other animals like her.