L.C., short for Little Cleft, is a 4-week old French bulldog/Boston terrier mix. She was born with a cleft palate, a congenital deformity that is relatively common in both humans and canines. Vets usually recommend the dogs be put down since the gap in the tissue makes nursing almost impossible.

Image Credit: Contributed

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A Penticton woman is looking for a home for her newborn puppy, but not just any home.

L.C., short for Little Cleft, is a 4-week-old French bulldog/Boston terrier mix. She was born with a cleft lip, a congenital deformity that is relatively common in both humans and canines. Vets usually recommend the dogs be put down since the gap in the tissue makes nursing almost impossible.

L.C.'s owner, Tia Saunders, says for her that wasn’t an option.

“A life is a life,” she says. “I am able to help so it’s a no-brainer.”

Since the puppy was born Saunders, who also has an 13-month-old baby daughter, has been hand feeding L.C. a puppy milk replacement every two to four hours.

“We feed her with a little syringe or dropper and she is doing really good now,” Saunders says. “She is still significantly smaller than her siblings, about a quarter of their size, but she is gaining weight and her development is just as advanced as the others. She was actually the first to walk.”

Saunders is now looking for a family with a young child with the same characteristic who are interested in adopting L.C. into their family.

“I read a bit about (the benefits) somewhere and they were saying how it boosts the kids’ confidence and self-esteem and I thought it was a really great idea,” she says.

Saunders took to social media and has been contacted by four families who are interested.

“I haven’t settled on anyone yet,” she says. “Some of (the kids) are a bit younger than I'd like but if the circumstances and family are right then age might not affect my decision."

Although the feeding schedule L.C. requires is currently very demanding, after she has been weaned onto regular puppy food, her needs will be the same as any other dog. There is also a surgical procedure available after she gets a bit older, says Saunders, but it’s mostly cosmetic.

“The only thing wrong with her is she has trouble nursing,” Saunders says. “By the time she’s ready for adoption she’ll be on puppy food and ready to go.”

L.C. will be ready to leave for her new home by the end of September and Saunders says she has no doubt there is a family somewhere that will benefit from her love of life and unstoppable spirit.

“She’s a little dog,” Saunders says. “But there’s some big fight in her."

To make a donation to help pay for L.C.'s surgery or to inquire about adoption, visit this GoFundMe page.

Image Credit: Contributed