- Credibility:
IRVING PARK — A badly neglected pitbull puppy has been adopted after a North Side animal rescue stepped in to help him recover from serious injuries.
Cody the puppy was brought to Famous Fido Rescue Adoption, Wellness and Learning Center in March, after he was found tied to a pole outside a Rogers Park 7-Eleven, shelter found Gloria Lissner said.
Cody was malnourished, extremely nervous and had cigarette burns, protruding ribs and overgrown nails, Lissner said. Neighbors raised more than $8,000 for his care.
Cody went home with a new owner last week, Lissner said. Rescuers expected Cody would need a much longer recovery, but he “bloomed like a plant” with medical treatment, putting on weight and clearing his infection. Cody’s new owner will address lingering health needs with Famous Fido’s support, Lissner said.
Cody was sent home with a to-go package, fresh food, name tag, harness, beds, toys and other supplies, Lissner said.
“We sent Cody home to his loving family, and it was an emotional moment for all of us. … We are grateful to have been able to share this beautiful moment with you all and to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything you did to support this boy through his rescue journey,” Famous Fido wrote on its Facebook page.
Cody’s new owner will address the pup’s lingering health needs with Famous Fido’s support, and he will get him puppy classes, Lissner said.
“Many dogs get lost through the cracks and they don’t get the right homes. [Cody] found a wonderful home and we are very happy. We took very good care of them, and his story is a success story,” Lissner said.
Cody’s new owner found out about him on the Famous Fido Facebook page, where the rescue had regularly posted about Cody and his progress, Lissner said.
After applying to adopt him, the owner went through an interview, home evaluation and did in-person visits, Lissner said.
“[They] really got off really well. They were out in the yard for a while many times, and Cody was very happy to go,” Lissner said. “He’s a nice man, and he’s gonna take very good care of Cody. He has a family, a wife, and they love the dog and the dog loves him.”
Lissner was happy to see Cody find his forever home because pitbulls often struggle to get good homes, she said.
“One thing that happens with animals, especially pitbulls, [is that] they end up staying in rescues and shelters forever because there’s so many that never find a good home,” Lissner said. “People can keep getting them and then losing them or taking them to shelters.”
Famous Fido isn’t an open-call shelter but is often at capacity and does take in rescues like Cody in emergencies, Lissner said. The rescue receives 20 to 25 calls a day from people requesting help for animals. Famous Fido also often takes in animals that have behavioral issues, health problems like diabetes or heart disease, are older or have been abandoned, she said.
Famous Fido keeps about 100 cats and dogs, Lissner said. Some dogs have been at Famous Fido for years. Some came from other rescues and bonded pairs, like pitbulls Axl and Rose, who also need forever homes.
The rescue also frequently gets pets who’ve been family pets for long stretches of time and that are unused to life in a shelter, Lissner said
The rescue relies on donations and purchases from its online shop to offset the thousands of dollars in vet bills it pays each month, Lissner said. Donations can also be made online.
Lissner encourages people interested in adopting or fostering a pet from Famous Fido to check its website and Facebook page.
With Cody getting his happy ending, Lissner hopes the people who donated or followed the Famous Fido Facebook page for updates on his condition continue to support the North Side rescue and its work.
“Cody, you have stolen our hearts. We wish you a happy life filled with so much love, happiness, and joy that you forget all about the pain you suffered before. You deserve every bit of it, little buddy,” Famous Fido wrote about Cody’s departure on its Facebook page.
“Thank you for showing us the true meaning of strength and resilience.”
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