Merlin is a male, buff cocker spaniel who had suffered an eye injury before being picked up as a stray. He was very sweet, but his eye needed attention. We took him to the vet and were told that it was healing and the eye itself wasn't affected, but there would be scarring around the eye. We put out the word to every cocker spaniel rescue we could find, but no one wanted to bother with a less than perfect dog. Only one rescue group responded in a positive way--the Cocker Spaniel Adoption Center in Maryland agreed to adopt him and find a foster home for him. To add to Merlin's problems he was diagnosed as being heart worm positive. Undeterred by this horrible news, the rescue group agreed to treat him. We delivered Merlin to his new foster home in Charlotte (together with Bandit, a 5 month old cocker spaniel puppy who was also picked up as a stray). Bandit has now been adopted, and Merlin is doing well in his treatment and hopes to find a permanent home by the time his treatment is done.