On a not so hopeful note, things are not looking great for one of my favorite dogs at the shelter, Fergie. To back up a bit, Fergie was brought in as a stray by one of our officers. From the beginning she was sweet but totally terrified. One thing that the staff does with dogs like that is to take them out of the kennel and let them hang out in the office. As per usual, after a few days of this Fergie did an almost complete turnaround. Still a little wary with complete strangers, but just the most affectionate little girl. We all fell in love. She was an older girl, and not the prettiest, but she is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met. We were all hopeful for her.
Then, she tested positive for heart worm. I can't tell you how depressed the mood became in the office when we got the news. A debate began--do we try to treat the heart worm or not? She wasn't spayed, and no one was certain that she could even make it through a surgery. In the end, after much consideration, our medical staff decided to try the surgery. If she made it, we would go from there. If she didn't, then at least we tried.
I heard from the surgical staff that this surgery was performed without the usual banter. Everyone was quiet, hoping that Fergie could somehow (against all odds) pull through. After the surgery she was placed in the recovery area and checked on very frequently. Somehow, this little girl made it, against all odds. She spent the weekend with one of our staff members and is now well on her way to recovering from the surgery. We have begun to treat the heart worms, but no one really knows if she will recover. She may only have a few months left.
Now what to do? How do we convince someone to take this sweet little girl, knowing that she might not be alive in 6 months? Yes, it is possible that she can beat the heart worms. Possible, yes. Probable? We don't know. I know that she has touched all of our hearts because she has lived a rough life. She is about Jack Russell sized, and her little body is covered with signs of neglect and ill-care. Her nipples are evidence of many many litters. Her legs have scars on them, and we aren't sure of the origin. She has an underbite as well. I know, she doesn't sound all that appealing. However, I challenge you to look into this little girl's eyes and not be moved by the sweetness and warmth in them. I wish that we could find someone who would foster this girl, give her a warm soft place to sleep every night, affection every day. Living in the kennel is no life for her. If you or anyone you know might consider taking this little girl in, PLEASE contact us at the shelter. None of us can fathom giving up on this little girl..we just need someone to take a chance on her.
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