Client stories

When Sherman's carers first brought him to Lort Smith, he was not in a good way. The three-year-old Dalmatian was coughing, struggling to breathe, and running a high temperature.

A CT scan and blood tests soon showed that one of Sherman's lungs had collapsed. Dr Crawford, one of our highly skilled vets, said he needed an urgent, life-saving operation.

While the cause of his condition is still unknown, Dr Crawford and his team suspect he may have inhaled a grass seed that travelled to his lungs, causing a severe chest infection and disease.

"He would have died if he didn't have his lung surgery within days."

Operating on a dog of Sherman's size, in the condition he was in, is extremely expensive. His carers simply couldn't afford it and, with heavy hearts, they decided to surrender him into Lort Smith's care.

A first

The complex, four-hour procedure to remove part of Sherman's lungs was the first of its kind performed by Dr Crawford. Lort Smith was fortunate to have the facilities and resources to do it.

Sherman's surgery was a complete success. With lots of love, attention and gentle exercise, he has made a full recovery, and is well and truly back to his cheeky, playful self.

Like all good stories, Sherman's has a happy ending. After spending so much time together, Dr Crawford fell in love with this gentle and friendly pup, and decided to foster him with a view to adoption.

"I took him home for an afternoon because I felt sorry for him and that was that. I suppose I had a soft spot for him because we'd been through so much together already. I can't imagine life without him now."

Sherman now comes to work with Dr Crawford each day, and has become a much-loved member of the Lort Smith family.

A donation to Lort Smith today can help more animals like Sherman get a second chance at life. Please donate today.

I am a three-year-old grey domestic shorthair cat, and earlier this year I was sadly hit by a car.

I used to often run across roads and I had never had any problem, but on this day maybe I was not quite as quick as I should have been. Anyway, getting hit by a car is a very nasty business, I can tell you. I was immediately knocked out and I have been suffering ever since.

As it happened, soon after the accident, when I was lying in the gutter, a kind woman found me and brought me into the Lort Smith Animal Hospital. That was so lucky for me, because I was in a lot of pain and I could not have walked there on my own.

When I woke up, my back leg was gone. It had been amputated by the vets at Lort Smith. On top of that, my rear end was all shaved and I was a tapestry of stitches. I didn't think I looked very handsome at all, and I was feeling pretty sore and sorry for myself.

Recovering with Zerafina

After a few days, I was taken home by a very kind Lort Smith foster carer named Zerafina for my recovery. At Zerafina's home I fluffed up a big cushion and concentrated on sleeping as much as I could.

I couldn't walk at that stage, and even though I am a big cat, my meow was very weak. I would give Zerafina a tap on the leg when I was hungry or wanted a lap to sit on. She was so lovely to me. Getting used to having only three legs was painful and not easy. I was so sad about losing my leg.

The hair on my back started to grow back – but sadly my leg did not. It was very difficult to climb up on the couch. I'll be honest, I did do some very undignified back-flips in those days while I was still getting used to having one leg missing.

For her job, Zerafina teaches children to play the guitar. In the early days, the gentle strumming would put me to sleep. Then sometimes I would wake up when she and her students laughed at my snoring. That was a bit embarrassing, but it was pretty loud snoring!

She says I have "stunning eyes" and a "soothing purr". She also says I have a "divine personality". She tells everyone who comes to the house to "be vigilant and don't let Empire escape". They don't need to worry: I'm not going anywhere. I love living there.

A second chance

I worried that I wasn't a normal cat with just three legs. It was so awkward at first. But I've gradually adapted. I'm so grateful to the woman who originally took me to Lort Smith after the accident. There is no way I could've fixed myself up without help.

They say it takes a lot of money to make cats like me healthy again. If you can help, I know Lort Smith does a really great job and they would really appreciate your help.

I've met so many wonderful people since I lost my leg. There have been lots of trips back to Lort Smith Animal Hospital for check-ups. All the people there are so caring – they all really want to help as many animals as they can.

At home with Zerafina, I get plenty of cuddles every day and I spend lots of time napping in the sunshine. And now I can even jump up on the bed all by myself! I am so grateful to Lort Smith for giving me a second chance at life.

Please make a donation to Lort Smith. They never give up on an animal that can be saved.

I'm Molly, a golden Labrador, and I'm nearly 10 months old. This is my story.

When I was six months old, I chased a ball onto the street in front of my home, and a car hit me. When I woke up, I was at Lort Smith, surrounded by nurses in blue uniforms. Both my left legs hurt badly. And I found out my family couldn't care for me anymore.

My back leg

My back left leg was broken, so the vets fixed it with a plate. They were worried about my front left leg and my lung too, and said they'd keep a close eye on them.

Then I went to stay with Leesa, a Lort Smith foster carer. She's so loving and gentle. Her two little boys read me stories when I was stuck in bed.

I had to rest in a crate, which is hard for an energetic dog like me. Leesa did physio with me three times a day, with a massage, an ice pack and always a treat at the end. Later, she took me swimming at a special dog pool, with her boys as my cheer squad.

My front leg

After six weeks, the vets took more X-rays and I could tell they were worried. My front leg still wasn't working, and it hurt. So they amputated it.

I was shocked at first. Every dog I'd ever seen had four legs. But on the drive home with Leesa, I started to think I might be better off. That leg had hurt so much since the accident.

Getting stronger

Getting used to three legs was slow, with lots of trips back to the hospital. But bit by bit, I got stronger.

Lort Smith never gave up on me. They've given me a second chance at life. And I've heard Leesa is going to adopt me. All I can do is be the best golden Labrador ever.

One October, a beautiful four-year-old staghound cross came to us for help. Remy, a boisterous but sweet girl, arrived with behavioural needs and a very sore tail that needed swift attention.

Alongside her desexing operation, Remy had a root canal for a sore tooth, and needed to have her tail removed. Before she came to Lort Smith, Remy's behaviour had caused damage to her tail that couldn't be repaired.

Helping her cope

Our behaviour team used many techniques over many months to help her cope with stressful situations. As well as constant training, Remy was fostered in a home to help her wellbeing. One foster stay involved a weekend on the coast, where she had a wonderful time running in wide open spaces.

Over time, Remy relaxed more and more. But the team was keen to find Remy her home. Unfortunately, her size and special needs limited her rehoming options, so the team had to promote her in a big way.

Thanks to the support of the media, who loved her too, Remy featured twice as Dog of the Week on Seven News, and was photographed for the Herald Sun. Lort Smith's dedicated social media following also made her the widest-reaching animal on our Facebook page to date.

Marcus

This big and beautiful girl with a particular set of needs had been in our care for 248 days when Marcus discovered her. He took her on as a foster to adopt. Remy settled in extremely well, and after two weeks, Marcus officially adopted her!

We have been told that she is very much enjoying a lazy life, behaving beautifully in her new home.

The power of social sharing has helped extend our networks further, making it possible to find the right home for pets with particular needs.

Long-term residents like Remy need specific care and attention to find their family. The time and resources to help dogs like Remy are only possible with donations. Without the dedication of our supporters, we couldn't provide this essential work for animals in need. Thank you for helping us help Remy, and animals just like her.

The Lort Smith team first met ten-month-old tabby Ryan in April, when he was brought in with a very sore leg. He was a cat who loved the outdoors, especially climbing, and his carer suspected he may have fallen from a height while exploring his neighbourhood.

Ryan was in a great deal of pain and wasn't putting weight on his right leg. Our vets' first examinations suggested a fracture, which an X-ray later confirmed.

Unfortunately, because of a sudden change in living circumstances, the domestic shorthair's carer could no longer look after him. So Lort Smith stepped in to give Ryan the serious medical attention he needed to get him back on his paws.

Saving his leg

The vet team met to discuss Ryan's best way forward. Would it be a leg amputation, or could they save his leg?

Luckily, his fracture could be repaired. Ryan's two orthopaedic surgeries were made possible thanks to the dedication of Lort Smith donors. These life-changing procedures made sure Ryan's fracture would be fully repaired, with a permanent pin and plate to keep his leg in tip-top condition.

Ryan recovered in foster care with long-time Lort Smith volunteer Narelle. She cared for Ryan through his rehabilitation, bringing him to vet appointments and keeping him happy with lots of cuddles.

Finally, two months after surgery, Ryan's leg was as good as new. Ready to find a permanent home, Ryan moved into the Adoption Centre.

Not letting his surgery define him, he would run and climb around the Adoption Centre like an active teenage cat.

Of course, it wasn't long before he was adopted into a wonderful new home, where we know he'll be causing as much trouble as he can.

Lort Smith transformed me from a lonely, broken kitten into a happy and fulfilled cat. Help Lort Smith give more animals in need a second chance at life.

My name is Romulus. I am a British shorthair cat, and I'll be one year old in November. Some months ago, I had a nasty fall and broke my hip. I was so miserable. And on top of that, my carers said they couldn't look after me anymore, so they dropped me off at Lort Smith.

I was so nervous about being surrendered, but as it turned out, that was my lucky day. One of the vets at Lort Smith, a gentleman named Andrew, immediately became a dear friend, and he has been so kind to me.

I could hardly walk at the time. Dr Andrew examined me straight away and took an X-ray. Then came an operation. It turns out I needed a hip replacement, and the result has been fantastic!

Straight after the operation, Dr Andrew realised he couldn't say goodbye, and officially adopted me. That was such a great feeling for me. He kept me in strict confinement for the first few days, but it was obvious he was being especially kind. Then he started giving me exercises to get my hip better and get me walking more freely.

He talked about daily physiotherapy, which I hadn't heard of before, but it seemed to work. Every day I was getting more mobile. Now, I am full of energy. I love to explore my new home and jump on the furniture. I especially like to sit at the front window and watch the people passing by.

For me, the best thing that has ever happened was being introduced to Lort Smith and meeting my new carer, Dr Andrew. I have heard him tell friends that I have changed his life. Well, I can assure you he and Lort Smith have changed my life. And it is all for the better. I just can't thank them enough.

Love Romulus x

PS: Please donate today and help Lort Smith save the lives of more animals in need.

Just as Lort Smith changed my life, they can change other animals' lives. But they need your help to do it. And they must, because a life of pain and suffering is no life at all.

I'm Rosie, a 10-year-old brindle staffy, and I'm keen to tell you my story. I was living quite happily with a family in Melbourne when one day they brought another dog into the home. I wasn't used to being around other dogs, and didn't know how to interact with them properly. I was a little nervous, unsure and scared, so I let out a growl.

Well, my carers didn't like that, and very quickly they bundled me up and dropped me off at Lort Smith. As you probably know, the folks at Lort Smith are compassionate animal lovers, and they have been so kind to me. Not for a minute were they going to give up on me.

Lots of care

I have had all sorts of long-term health issues with my skin, eyes, ears and mouth. The care you get at Lort Smith is just incredible. I have been made to feel so special. I'm now on lifelong medication that's really helping.

At one stage I had to go through a major dental procedure. I had six teeth removed, including a canine tooth. The operation took more than two hours! Dentists are so scary, and at first I was frightened. But the operation went smoothly and my mouth doesn't hurt anymore.

I have also had multiple lumps removed. The vets didn't like the look of these lumps and investigated further. I had an X-ray, a biopsy and a CT scan. The result wasn't good news: I had bone cancer!

The vets did lots of talking and more examinations. They decided to do an operation that had never been done at Lort Smith before!

The surgery itself took two hours. There were two surgeons and two senior nurses. I felt tremendously important, although I found the lights and the strange machinery a little overwhelming! All the staff were so kind and caring, I knew I was in the best possible hands.

A scary turn

Maybe I was a bit naïve, but I imagined that as soon as the operation was over, I'd be able to get outside and run around. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and I had to spend two days in the Intensive Care Unit.

I could see they were trying to be nice. And they certainly were caring for me, but the whole thing was just such a pain. It was so boring. After all, no one wants to be sick. And no dog wants to be cooped up in a hospital.

After that, I went into foster care with a very nice woman named Kate. She works in the Lort Smith Adoption Centre and is also a dog trainer!

Kate was extremely attentive, but I still felt terrible. I didn't have my normal energy. I couldn't get out and run around. Then, about four days after the operation, I began to breathe rapidly. I couldn't stop. Kate acted quickly. It was an emergency. She put me in the back seat of the car and drove me back to Lort Smith. More treatment began. They were determined to get me better.

After six days in ICU, I was going downhill rapidly. I heard them say I was anaemic. I had low protein levels, and the oxygen in my blood was critically low. The next thing I knew, they were giving me a blood transfusion.

I had never even heard of a blood transfusion before, but let me tell you something: it worked like magic. It's been the best thing for me. I was allowed home three days later. And very soon I was feeling like my old self.

These days, I play in the backyard, and when I go for a walk, I've got all the energy I need. At the local park, I'm faster than quite a few of the other dogs.

Thanks to the team at Lort Smith, and all that they have done for me, I'm now feeling better than I have in a very long while. Thank you for reading my story.

Love from Rosie x

PS. If you make a donation, it will help more animals just like me.