What’s a week like at our shelter?! A typical week involves cleaning, walking, feeding, living and seeing animals come and leave. It means regular vet visits and spay/neuter/vaccine appointments. Inevitably someone becomes ill and requires a sick appointment. This week our staff and volunteers were overrun with one emergency after another. It started with Bonnie, our smart and sassy pup who didn’t feel well. Two vet visits later a foreign object was discovered on X-ray. Bonnie needed surgery right away. When in surgery they found it was an object with sharp edges that perforated Bonnie’s intenstinal track and meant Bonnie’s life was at risk due to infection. With a lot of intensive care and a multi day hospitalization, Bonnie’s prognosis is looking better and better.
A litter of kittens in foster came down with a very aggressive viral infection. In little ones, survival rate can be as low as 50/50. One has already succumbed to the illness and the other four will remain hospitalized with round the clock fluids and IV meds. We are cautiously optimistic and know they are getting absolutely everything we can offer to bring them back to health.
Nine (!!!!) kittens were brought to us unexpectedly on Saturday. They were dumped behind a store and the people who found them knew they could not be left behind. All are dehydrated. All have worms, fleas and GI upset. The ones most ill will be at the vet’s office first thing Monday morning.
While the kittens were being cared for, another woman brought in a 4 month old with a spiral leg fracture.
This baby will likely need surgery for its injuries and an orthopedic surgeon will be consulted tomorrow.
This is what a week can look like. 4 cases, 1 week, vet bills topping $10,000. This is what it means to be no kill - when medical problems are fixable but extremely expensive. When you say okay to those expenses because you know every life matters and every animal deserves a chance. You never know what will come through the door. You never know when healthy animals will eat something they can’t digest or fall ill. This is rescue. This is what we do. This is why we ask for your support.