“A dog like Esmeralda will give you so much more than you could ever know,” Roadogs Rescue says of the Frenchie with special needs
Don’t let Esmeralda SunPower’s “resting grump face” fool you; this is an “outgoing” French bulldog looking for love.
The canine is currently up for adoption through Roadogs Rescue in southern California. But the French bulldog’s journey to find a forever home started in Fort Worth, Texas.
“Little Esmeralda was found abandoned in a box in a park in Fort Worth, Texas,” Nikki Carvey, the founder of Roadogs Rescue, tells PEOPLE.
A Good Samaritan found the Frenchie and brought the dog to the Humane Society of North Texas. The Texas shelter quickly noticed that Esmeralda had “severe congenital spine issues,” according to Carvey, and contacted Roadogs Rescue for assistance.
Roadogs Rescue is dedicated to saving “underdogs,” Carvey explains. These are pets that are “old, medically fragile, and disabled.” The California rescue has experience working with dogs with spine issues and was happy to arrange for someone to fly to California from Texas with the French Bulldog.
When Esmeralda arrived, Roadogs Rescue assessed the dog’s needs.
“Esmeralda is a Hot Mess Express, as one vet put it. She was born with severe congenital spine issues — probably because someone was trying to breed a mini Frenchie — but they got one with a jacked-up spine instead,” Carvey says of the dog’s physical condition. “There’s not really anything surgical that can be done to fix her, so we’ll try supportive care like physical therapy.”
According to the rescue founder, the French bulldog can’t climb stairs and tires faster than some pets because of the crab walk she uses to move around, but those are the canine’s only limitations, especially because Esmeralda has such a “spitfire” attitude.
“Esmeralda is one of those dogs that smile through it all and takes everything in her stride,” Carvey says, adding, “She loves love and wants to be wherever the action is at. She is a typical female Frenchie, so she can be quite bossy and think she’s large and in charge.”
The pooch is currently living with a foster family but is looking for a forever home to preside over.
“The ideal home would be someone who has Frenchie experience, especially with a dog that has had mobility issues,” Carvey explains. “Someone who works from home so they can spend lots of time with her and has the means to do physical therapy if needed. I think she’d enjoy going out and about in a stroller, too.”
In return, the adopter will get the company of a “happy and outgoing” dog who is also “funny” to boot.
“A dog like Esmeralda will give you so much more than you could ever know,” Carvey says.
The Roadogs Rescue founder hopes that Esmerdela inspires numerous animal lovers to consider adopting a pet with special needs, whether it be this Frenchie or another animal.
Related: Emaciated French Bulldog Saved from Neglect Becomes Devoted Foster Dad to Over 200 Puppies (Exclusive)
“We take complicated dogs like Esmeralda because we believe they deserve the best lives, too. Some people look at dogs who are different, old, or have health issues — and judge them as ‘not worth it.’ But we believe these dogs reflect who we are as humans, and we are supposed to help the most vulnerable and fragile. You also never know what another brings to the world,” Carvey says.
She adds of Esmeralda, “She reminds us to live each day in joy and acceptance and to not put limits on ourselves. She reminds us not to judge and be open.”
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Those interested in adopting Esmeralda should contact Roadogs Rescue. Those not in a place to welcome a new pet can still support the rescue’s life-saving work by donating or volunteering.
“Finding people to foster medical dogs is becoming harder and harder, which means dogs like Esmeralda are the first to be passed over because they require extra care. If you want to help dogs like Esmeralda, get involved: foster, adopt, or donate. We spend around $70,000 a month just on vet bills. We can’t save lives without ongoing support,” Carvey says.
