When Rescue Gets Real

Two weeks ago, our rescue took in four dogs from a horrible situation in Richlands, Virginia. Their owner was hospitalized with poor prognosis, and the property management company overseeing the house had been less than helpful with the situation. The realtor responsible for repossessing the home refused to put dogs in her vehicle and transport them to rescue, and instead demanded that someone pick them up or she would “open the door and put them all out.”

Thanks to the Richlands Police Department, we were able to secure the dogs until arrangements could be made to transport them. Upon intake, we examined the dogs and found one to be geriatric with a pruritic skin condition, one to be passing copious amounts of blood in her urine, one severely traumatized with PTSD symptoms, and one puppy who didn’t know what the heck was happening.

Time, regular feeding, and a stable environment helped the traumatized adult dog and the puppy. For the other two, several trips to the vet that included a lengthy hospital stay and major abdominal surgery for one were the only solutions. We’re happy to report that all four of them are doing well today. The biggest transformation was with Miss Daisy, the senior teacup poodle. The before and after pics of her say it all.

As for Cleo, oh boy. She had a belly full of bladder stones, some of them measuring more than an inch across. The radiographs were startling and worrisome. They also showed that at some point in the past, poor Cleo was shot with some sort of pelletized ammo, probably something more powerful than a BB gun because the depth of the projectile is so great. It’s lodged somewhere deep in her pelvis and can’t be palpated. It won’t need removal, but still—the fact that it’s there at all is just heartbreaking.

Bladder stones aren’t an uncommon problem for dogs to have. They’re typically composed of struvite, which is a mineral formed in the urine when alkaline conditions are present. Signs of bladder stones can include frequent, urgent urination in small amounts, as well as discolored urine. Cleo exhibited these signs and had likely been exhibiting them for years. No doubt she’d been punished for having accidents in the house. She certainly hadn’t been treated for the condition and had likely suffered extensively from it.

During surgery, our veterinarian found the bladder to be inflamed and spongy, with lots of bleeding and tissue in such poor condition it was difficult to stitch. The procedure lasted an hour and a half and included Cleo’s spay. Our vet inserted a catheter to keep the bladder drained and almost immediately, Cleo started producing clear urine. She metabolized the anesthesia quite well and was alert a short time after surgery. Her prognosis is excellent. She’ll be in hospital for a few more days, but full recovery is expected.

One unavoidable fact of rescue is the cost of veterinary care. If we fail to seek it for animals in our care who need it, we violate Virginia Code 3.2-6503, A 7: [The owner shall provide] "Veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering or disease transmission." This is something that shouldn't have to be legislated; it is common sense. However, many pet owners don't understand the financial commitment of taking on a pet and therefore neglect not only basic care, but urgent treatment as well. In theory, these dogs' owner could be charged with neglect for failing to seek veterinary care for them herself, but that would be difficult to pursue with her hospitalized.

To date, we've raised much of the nearly $2,000 in vet bills that it has cost us so far to rescue these four dogs. Most of that has come from the Steemit community. $225 has been donated locally. Central Appalachia is a difficult place to raise funds for several reasons. This dynamic isn't just limited to animal charity.

Central Appalachia is also a difficult place to find homes for dogs and cats. Most people who want to own pets already do--and own more than is reasonable. The ratio of supply and demand is so unbalanced here that one estimate suggests there are 26 homeless dogs for every available home. This places an undue burden on people willing to give abandoned pets a home--most dog owners own several dogs, some as many as a dozen. They seldom went looking for those dogs; rather, the dogs were "set out" in their neighborhood, abandoned by owners who didn't want to care for them any longer.

We waste very little time or effort trying to place dogs locally. Instead, we work with several rescue partners in New England states who operate in areas where pet populations are under control. They are able to find wonderful homes four our little hillbilly dogs, with families who seem to have an appropriate grasp of what it means to care for an animal. More often than not, we get photos back of our dogs once they've settled into their new lives, and those Happy Tails make every bit of our effort worthwhile.

Speaking of New England rescue partners, our Vermont affiliates received a wonderful application for Cleo, so it looks like she’ll be leaving on transport March 2nd. This allows time to recuperate and build strength for the trip. Transport is hard on dogs, but the journey is absolutely worth it. We hope to have Happy Tail photos to share with all of you soon!