‘Bella Came To Us With Every Ailment Imaginable’
      Somewhere on a cold and blustery January day in 2018, a decripted-looking dog, somewhere between 7 and 11-years-old, was found missing 80 per cent of her hair and walking on paws that were bleeding, not to mention the pooch had to endure the outside temperatures.
      “She came to us with every imaginable ailment,” Erin Misalko, of Boardman, recalls. Erin and her husband, John, wanted to help the dog and took her in. Bella immediately bonded with the Misalko’s 12-year-old black lab, Benny, making the job of getting Bella healthy and comfortable in a real home, a bit easier.
      With a lot of help from an animal rescue agency, No Fear Rescue, of Campbell, Oh., Bella was turned over to the Misalkos last February.
      “If it wasn’t for No Fear Rescue, we wouldn’t have the privilege of caring for Bella,” John Misalko said this week.
      Once the Misalkos had the chance to care for Bella, they immediately learned there would be a lot of medical bills.
      For example, to treat Bella’s skin conditions, the pooch needed a special body wash (micro-bubble bath) that still to this day she is receiving.
      And up to the plate stepped No Fear Rescue. The organization raised the needed funds for supplies Bella’s special baths and specialized doctor’s care, and eleven months later, though Bella still doesn’t have all her fur, she is itch free.
      After her initial skin treatments, All Paws Matter, of Sharpsville, Pa. has also helped out, paying for a year’s worth of the special baths Bella needs.
      In addition to the skin treatments, Bella needed several surgeries to take lesions off her feet and tail. No Fear Rescue even funded special surgeries that Bella received in Pittsburgh, Pa.
      As well, Dr. Sam Costello, of the Town and Country Veterinary Clinic in Warren, Oh. offered to help.
      “He was unbelievable,” Erin recalls. And how lucky the Misalkos were to find Dr. Costello. A member of K-9’s for Compassion, and a 2006 winner of a Distinguished Veterinarian Award, he, his wife, Katie, and daughter, Anastiya, own eight dogs and seven cats.
      With care and compassion, Bella now likes to play with Benny and soak-up all the love her new owners give to her.
      “When she came to us, her eyes were so clouded so couldn’t see. Her paws were infected and raw, and she had a terrible infection. After many trips to the vet and several surgeries, she is now medication free,” Erin said this week, giving praise to No Fear Rescue and to Dr. Costello.
      “Whatever they could do to help has always been their intent. They have gone above and beyond the call to help this dog.
      “When it comes down to it, helping the animal and doing what’s best is all that really matters,” Erin said.
      “Bella is so loving and a part of our family,” John Misalko says.
      Though she can only eat venison-based dog foods, John says Bella “now wants in on everything.
      “If it wasn’t for No Fear Rescue, Bella may not be alive right now.”
      Mrs. Misalko was asked what it meant to she and her husband to now have Bella in their home, especially at this time of year.
      “It means everything. She is wonderful. To think what she must have gone through, and where she is today, we are blessed,” Erin said, as her husband added, “Bella runs the home. She has a bed in every room, and she is happy. “It says something about the unconditional love a dog can give.”