Adopt a English Springer Spaniel

Meet ESRA's handsome Radar (formerly known as Haven)! This sweet boy just wants to be loved. Radar was found in a swamp in northern Wisconsin and was brought to a holding facility as a stray. Not much is known about his past, but of course we care more about his future and the good life he has now. When Radar was taken into ESRA, his foster parents pulled over seventy ticks off him, and he had fleas as well. He is now free of those pests, and he has been successfully treated for tick-borne disease. 



Radar is also blind. The vet specialist he was taken to diagnosed Radar with sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS). He will need to be on eye drops for the rest of his life. But please don't let Radar's SARDS scare you. He may be blind, but he still can be a mischievous little guy. And he adapts well to his surroundings. For instance, at his foster home there are a lot of steps, which he learned to navigate without a problem.



This dear boy also has a condition called gingival hyperplasia. This means that his gum tissue grows over his teeth. Radar had surgery to remove the gum tissue and, during the surgery, the dentist removed some teeth as well. Radar will need yearly visits to a dental vet to keep an eye on the gums, and they will need maintenance if they do grow back. During the dental surgery, a cancerous spot was found on Radar's tongue. It was removed, and the vet stated that there is little chance that it will reoccur. 



Due to Radar's blindness, he can get anxious in new surroundings, and when he is riding in the car, he gets agitated. He is given trazadone as needed, which helps him settle down and relax. 



Here is what Radar's foster mom says about this special dog:

 

Radar is one of the sweetest Springer Spaniels I have ever had the honor of knowing. He wants to be by you on the couch, and believe it or not, he is able to get up and down all by himself! He also has his mischievous moments. He used to counter surf and get through the cat door to eat the cat food. He will curl up next to you and fall asleep with his head in your lap. 



Because Radar is blind, I was initially scared that he would hurt himself. For the first two weeks, we had him on a lead outside in the yard until he learned the lay of the land. Radar now roams free in our fenced yard without injury. He will wear a halo outside, as you can see in one of his photos, so that he does not smack his face into the fence. Radar's foster home has over twenty steps to get to the yard and then back to the door. He does not have a problem with these at all. Radar's Forever Home will require a fenced yard for his comfort and safety, and minimal steps are preferable.

Radar is crate trained and housetrained. He gets along well with cats and dogs. It is recommended that he be in a home where any children are older. Interestingly, since he has been with his foster family, his mom and dad have never once heard him bark. The vet looked at Radar's vocal cords and said they look fine, but for some reason, he just does not bark. So if you are looking for a sweet, loving, goofy, and quiet boy, contact his case managers at the e-mail address below to find out more or arrange to come and meet him. Radar will be delighted to get to know you!



Please note that an approved adoption application is the first step in a more thorough interview process that is designed to match each dog to exactly the right family, and that the final decision rests with the dog's case manager.