Midge
A joyful, uniquely perfect little soul searching for a peaceful forever foster home.
Meet Midge, an exceptionally special boy who has captured the hearts of everyone here at HART. Midge has been navigating a complex neurological journey, but thanks to a medication trial that is going better than we ever dared hope, he is currently brighter, happier and more settled.
Midge will be placed as a forever foster, meaning the rescue will fund his care for life. He is a truly wonderful little dog who needs a very specific, controlled and quiet environment where he can be celebrated exactly as he is.
About Midge
Midge is a very special little lad who was showing a wide range of neurological symptoms. Specialist MRI investigations found a generalised reduction in brain volume, which can happen either because the brain didn’t form properly in the first place, or because the tissue is degenerating over time. While there is no cure for his condition, it is being managed incredibly well with anti-epileptic medication.
Midge is currently thriving in his foster home, but because he has absolutely zero sense of danger and cannot keep up with the pace of a working farm, he needs a calmer, quieter long-term setup with fewer dogs. We will only move forward with applications if his specialist continues to be happy with his progress, but right now, things are looking very positive.
He is:
A young male dog with complex neurological needs
A forever foster dog, with his lifelong care funded by the rescue
Looking for a safe, stable and highly structured home
Personality and His Wonderful Quirks
Midge is perfect exactly as he is. He is not a dog who will “grow out of” his challenges. He needs people who will celebrate him, not try to fix him and his new family must be people who will genuinely embrace his unique quirks. Since starting his medication, he has transformed into a proper, boisterous puppy who loves to play, grab clothing and nip playfully.
He is:
An incredibly bright, joyful and affectionate companion
Fearless and full of love for every person and animal he meets
Gaining some recent, hopeful improvements with his housetraining, though it remains a challenge and hard flooring is strongly preferred
When it comes to his night-time routine, Midge sleeps through the night. The only time he has ever woken was during his severe seizure.
Life with Other Pets and Children
Midge absolutely adores children and is used to living with a baby. However, because he now plays like a rough-and-tumble puppy with lots of nipping, smaller children may find his boisterous behaviour a bit too much.
When it comes to other animals, Midge needs an exceptionally tolerant setup:
Resident dogs: Midge adores other dogs but cannot read their body language and has no idea when to stop playing. Any resident dogs must be extremely gentle, patient and puppy-savvy.
Cats: He thinks cats are the best fun in the world, but he cannot understand when they have had enough. He can only live with exceptionally tolerant cats who can easily get away from him and full separation must be available at all times.
Livestock: Midge is completely fearless and would happily wander directly into horses, cattle, or sheep. Any livestock must be kept in areas that are entirely inaccessible to him.
Ideal Home and Specialist Needs
Because Midge's safety is fragile, our criteria for his forever foster home are extremely stringent. He needs an observant, hands-on family who can provide a safe and stable environment.
His perfect home would:
Be close to his vets: Adopters must be able to keep him under the ongoing care of Ddole Road Vets in Llandrindod, with continued specialist support from Langford Referral Hospital in Bristol (including travelling to Bristol if his condition changes).
Maintain a strict medication routine: His life-saving medication must be administered three times a day (morning, noon, and evening) without exception.
Have a gap-free garden: Gaps, rather than height, are the danger. Midge will slip or "fall" through the tiniest space, and once outside, he has no idea where he is.
Be entirely stair-free: Midge cannot navigate stairs at all due to his brain condition, so his home must be on one level or fully blocked off with stair gates.
Provide a work-from-home lifestyle: He cannot cope with being left alone all day and doggy day care is not suitable for his needs.
Accommodate a large crate: He is crate trained but needs a very large crate to remain comfortable, as his small bladder means he may occasionally toilet during the night.
When it comes to the outdoors, Midge has significant lead training challenges. Early lead training triggered focal seizures, so we stopped immediately. He struggles with the concept and needs gentle, careful handling. He enjoys his walks now but has zero awareness of danger around cars, water, or drops, meaning he requires very close, hands-on supervision and must never be off-lead in public.
Emotional Preparedness
Because of the nature of Midge's neurological condition, there are no guarantees for his future. We simply do not know what his life expectancy will look like; we only know that right now, he is happy and full of life. Any applicant must be emotionally prepared for the reality that this journey could bring heartbreak far too early.
Applications
We welcome applications from homes that meet his criteria fully and can offer the safe, stable, gentle life he needs. Midge has come so far and he deserves a home that will adore him exactly as he is. He is going to be incredibly hard to say goodbye to, but the right home will give him the safest, happiest future possible.
If you believe you can offer Midge everything he needs, we would love to hear from you.
Apply to Forever Foster Midge
If you feel Midge could be the right match for your home, please complete the application form via the link below.
