Gertie’s Happy Tail

Little Gertie was allegedly living in poor conditions with other dogs and when RSPCA Inspectors rescued her, they said she was dirty and had a strong smell of urine. Gertie had an underlying condition which meant she was having a lot of trouble getting around too. Gertie falls about quite a lot when she tries to walk around. But despite her quirks, we knew there was a family out there that would welcome her with open arms!

If you’d like to support the RSPCA you can view our pets available to adopt here or you can consider making a donation to our appeal so we can continue to help animals like Gertie.

Bridget shared what prompted her to meet Gertie.

“After supporting Storybook Farm for many years, it broke my heart to see the state of the animals that were rescued, and probably like many other animal lovers, I felt like I had been duped into believing they were a trustworthy animal welfare organisation.”

“I knew I wanted to help save a beautiful furry soul, and I knew Gertie was my girl. She was such a cutie with so many problems and special needs, and I had an overwhelming feeling I couldn't shake that I needed to rescue her!”

Then came the day that Bridget met Gertie. She was apprehensive as to how her dogs would take to Gertie and for them too, but within a few minutes, they were becoming firm friends.

“When I first arrived for my introduction to Gertie it was recommended that I bring my other 2 dogs, Ted a Maltese Shitzu and Jemima a Pugalier to see how they all got along. As soon as I saw Gertie I cried tears of joy and pain that this beautiful little girl had gone through so much in such a short time and I now had an opportunity to help her live happily for the rest of her years.”

Bridget said, “The RSPCA were incredible at helping me fulfil my wish! I was so impressed by the very strict and stringent processes they had in place to make sure I was the right carer for Gertie, including visits from Inspectors to make sure our house was compliant for Gertie's needs. After all, this little 9 month old had allegedly been through hell and deserved a loving home.”

Bridget and Jamie knew Gertie was the pet for them and were willing to put in the hard yards with her special needs.

“This decision was not taken lightly as Gertie is high care. Her vision was not the best and she had trouble with her balance, and we knew her heart was not very strong. However, the love for her was far stronger than any concerns we had that she would require round the clock care.”

Bridget and Jamie were ready to make some adjustments at home to help Gertie.

“When she first arrived home, we needed to get her used to her new surroundings and willing to trust humans again. She was very wonky on her feet on the wooden floors, so we bought her little grip boots to help her stand up. We also ordered a special customized bumper hat from a company called Mission Pawsable so she wouldn't bump her head so much when she fell over.”

Pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place for Bridget when they learned more of how Gertie came to have so many medical conditions. 

“In an incredible twist of fate, the local news did a story on Gertie's rescue and her original breeders saw it and contacted us! Gertie is a purebred miniature poodle whose mother had a tough birth, Gertie’s other sibling died during the birth and Gertie was born without any oxygen and couldn't breathe. The breeders kept resuscitating Gertie for over an hour. They said it was quite bizarre as they normally wouldn't do that, but knew she was such a little fighter! She was tube fed for weeks and her mumma would not leave her side. It was touch and go for many weeks. These lovely breeders have shared many photos with us when Gertie was a pup and all her relatives!

We keep in contact regularly as everyone loves her and her incredible story of survival. Gertie and her mother were adopted together, but the new owners couldn't handle Gertie so she went back to the breeders. They had heard of Storybook Farm and thought they were doing the right thing sending her there as they advertised that they helped disabled animals.”

To make sure Gertie was going to get the best care from this new found information, Bridget and Jamie went to their local vet who suggested a visit to a Cardiologist to understand more about her existing heart murmur. “Thank goodness we did, as unfortunately the news was not good. Poor little Gertie had a congenital heart defect. She has two holes in her heart and two faulty valves. When the cardiologist sat us down to tell us she hadn't seen a case this bad in twenty years, it just broke our hearts. She was prescribed lifesaving medication which we give her daily and we make sure she doesn't get too overexcited. Her last visit was super promising as the cardiologist said her blood pressure was great and in his words ‘she is a little miracle and Gertie will write her own story’.”

Gertie couldn’t have asked for better parents with Bridget and Jamie dedicated to her ongoing care.

“What was very important to us was that Gertie has a great quality of life and every specialist has told us she is a happy little puppy that had no idea she is "different" She is not in any pain or suffering and has the best life!”

“Gertie is such a happy little girl with a beautiful soul. She can be sassy at times and has such a quirky personality too! She is the snuggliest, cuddliest little girl and has absolutely completed our little family. My Husband is especially taken with Gertie and they are always together. He is the best carer ever and treats her like his little special needs baby!”

“I am happy to report she is stronger than ever and sturdier on her feet! She has graduated out of her boots and headgear and she's a big one year old now who rules the roost. Gertie brings so much joy and laughter to our lives and she even recently got all dressed up and witnessed our wedding with thanks to Pet Wedding Assistants!”

Bridget said, “Our hearts are full and life is so much better with little Gertie in our lives!”

Gertie’s new family have gone above and beyond to ensure she gets the best veterinary care to help her live a long and happy life.

Without community support and donations, Gertie wouldn't be where she is today.