Nurses are known for providing assistance and help to their patients, but Skie Moore, BSN/RN, a travel ER nurse from Fort Worth, TX, may not have expected her extra-curricular call to be so furry and charming.
It all started when Moore, who has always loved dogs, had a patient who had spent the day in the ER and had their dog, Charlie, with them. The patient’s first inquiry, when told they needed to be hospitalized, was, “Can Charlie remain with me?”
However, the patient was informed no, prompting them to agree to leave against the doctor’s advice because they were homeless and couldn’t find another place for Charlie. Moore decided to intervene at that point.
“I told them I would be pleased to take Charlie home and nurture him until they were in a good situation to take him back,” she tells Nurse.org. “That night, Charlie came home with me and has stayed with me ever since.”
Taking Care of Charlie
Moore reveals that she is presently employed in a government hospital that serves a high number of homeless people. Many patients bring their pets to the ER because they have no other choices for pet care. “I realized there was no choice but to offer to take him in when the patient claimed they were intending to leave because Charlie was more important,” she explains.
Moore says she understands the devotion many homeless people have for their dogs. ” I grew up in an environment full of animals, and I’ve always had a household full of animals after I moved out”, she says.
“I rescued three dogs my freshman year of college, and despite college, various jobs, and multiple residences, I always have those three dogs ten years later” (plus an extra addition). I’ve fostered several pets all through the years and want to continue doing so in the future. I feel that people do not deserve dogs because they are so kind to us!
Moore added that Charlie required a little getting used to at the start of their relationship. “He is always been with a person 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” she adds. “We’ve been focused on kennel training, which is gradually improving.”
Charlie has also liked indicating his domain, well, everywhere, because he is an unneutered male dog. “We’ve been working on toilet training, which is progressing slowly,” Moore says. “In any case, no task is too great for us, and we’ll find a method to overcome it!”
Moore has been documenting her travels with Charlie on social media, and fans have been enjoying learning more about him. In fact, Charlie got a health exam last week and received all of his vaccinations while posing for a picture. Moore kept all of the puppies separated until Charlie’s vaccines were completed since she had other dogs.
He then headed to the groomer for a well-deserved wash and haircut.”He’s quite attractive!” Moore gasps. Moore reveals that Charlie is also getting neutered this week, with his owner’s agreement. “He is truly a very healthy dog, and his owner has done an outstanding job of taking care of him to the best of their ability,” she explains.
Time Together
For the time being, it appears like Charlie will continue to be spoilt. Moore says that, while Charlie’s companion has been released, the two still need some time apart before they can be reunited. Moore tells that they are looking for a car with air conditioning for the summer heat and has requested Moore to keep Charlie until that time. Charlie’s owner, on the other hand, is clearly missing him.
“They contact every few days to monitor Charlie,” Moore recalls, “so I know they’ll welcome him back when their condition improves. I caught up with them a couple of days ago to show them Charlie, and they were both overjoyed.”
Moore is excited to reunite Charlie with his owner, but she also tells Nurse.org that if Charlie’s owner is unable to take him back, she is devoted to providing a long-term solution and would gladly keep him completely. She just adds, “Charlie is very well-behaved and full of affection.”
Moore has been posting updated information on Charlie’s path, and she’s seen many other nurses become involved. “I think this message connected with many other nurses since they know how terrible it is to observe this condition,” she says. “We frequently see homeless people leaving AMA because they are unable to bring their pets with them. Some patients are allowed to retain their pets under certain conditions, and the nurses are responsible for bringing the outdoors and ensuring that they feed. We all care about our patients, so we’ll do as much as we can to make them happy, and having a pet around is just a bonus.”
She goes on to say that seeing how many other nurses reacted positively to her article touched her heart. She expressed that many people have negative attitudes about those who are homeless and have dogs. “All individuals, regardless of social class, require companionship,” Moore argues. “Nurses see first hand how far persons who are homeless go for their pets, and it’s incredible.
“I try to keep cat/dog food and collapsible dishes in my trunk at all times in case I come across people who are homeless and have pets. Instead of passing judgment and making assumptions, we should love and assist this group in whatever manner we can.”
Meanwhile, there’s no need to be concerned about Charlie since he’s alright. Moore chuckles, “He is the ruler of the residence,” Charlie says, “He enjoys receiving attention, napping, and eating. I admire him because he is such a joyful dog.”
