Rocket is a 6-year-old Shih Tzu with a heart as big as his name suggests. He is fully trained, people-friendly, and dog-friendly—the kind of little guy who wins you over instantly.
This intake hurts… but it also reminds us why we do this work.
Rocket found himself in the emergency room after being attacked by a much larger dog in his home. As a result, he has a fractured fibula and sacrum. Thankfully, these injuries do not require surgery and are expected to heal with strict cage rest, time, and supportive care. He also has an injured eye that we are currently treating with medicated drops. Our hope is that it heals with medication alone, though enucleation may be necessary in the future if it does not respond.
We want to be very clear about something important:
- Rocket was not neglected.
- Rocket was deeply loved.
His family was faced with an impossible reality—returning Rocket to the same environment could very well cost him his life. Loving him meant making the hardest decision imaginable and placing his safety above their own heartbreak. They trusted us to help get him healed, safe, and eventually placed in a home where he can thrive without risk.
We are not in the business of removing dogs from families who love and care for them.
But we are in the business of protecting dogs, keeping them safe, and finding the best possible fit for every animal—even when that means stepping in during incredibly painful circumstances.
While much of our work focuses on unwanted, neglected, and at-risk animals, we also believe there must be safe, ethical outlets for dogs who are loved but no longer safe where they are. Rocket is one of those dogs.
This was the right decision, even though it was an incredibly hard one.
Rocket is now resting, healing, and surrounded by people who are committed to getting him back on his paws—physically and emotionally. We promise his family, and all of you, that we will love him fiercely and do everything we know how to help him recover and find the amazing future he deserves.
Welcome to Freedom First Rescue, Rocket.
Your journey to healing starts now.
