The Reality Of Animal Rescue
Their Past, Our Present
The reality of rescuing animals touches our hearts, sometimes with a happy ending, but sometimes ending unhappily. When a dog or cat is rescued from an unpleasant situation and is adopted into a loving home, becoming part of a family, the results are extremely heartwarming. But then there are the terribly heartrending stories of animals who aren't as fortunate. Some of these animals have been neglected, abused, starved, or abandoned and left to fend for themselves. For the blessed ones, rescue comes at the right time. For others, no matter what is done to help these poor souls, it's just too late. We strive to help as many animals as we possibly can, but the fact is, so much more needs to be done.
The stories below are a small sample of rescues we have been involved in. You can help us in our struggle to save our furry friends. Please help prevent unwanted and stray animals by having your dog or cat spayed or neutered. Also, keep your pets current on all of their necessary vaccines and make sure they have an identification tag. Thank you.
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Princess
We see so many terrible stories of animal neglect and abuse in the media and we think to ourselves, "That doesn't happen around here." Unfortunately, it does and this is one case that will never be forgotten. The owners of Princess were prosecuted and did serve some jail time. It wasn't enough, but at least some justice was received for Princess.
In the summer of 2002, Princess was found on a chain behind a privacy fence on a property in the city of Salisbury. Pat happened to be at the adjacent property and something led her to look through the gaps in the fence. What she saw was dreadful. Princess was on the ground with flies swarming around her. Pat immediately called the authorities and waited for them to arrive. The owners told the Dog Control Officer that the dog was under a veterinarian's care. The dog's condition showed otherwise. The City Of Salisbury's Dog Control Officer called the City Police for backup so that he could take possession of Princess. Pat spoke with the officer while he awaited backup. She told him she was willing to take Princess for rehabilitation and placement. Unfortunately, that wasn't meant to be. Princess was rushed to the veterinarian's office where it was determined there was no possibility for recovery. Euthanasia was the humane thing to do.
Please, if you see anything suspicious or questionable, report it to the Humane Society or proper authorities. Help us prevent this from happening to another innocent animal.
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Diesel Dan
The owner of Petique Pet Grooming, Joy, and her husband, Chuck, deserve credit in helping to rescue Diesel Dan, aka Danny. At Chuck's place of employment, three kittens were found around an engine in a big truck; Chuck's coworker adopted one, one was never caught, and the third one, Chuck took home with him because no one else wanted him. Knowing that Pat rescued and placed cats and dogs, Chuck and Joy contacted her. Until Pat could pick him up, Joy kept Danny in a crate at her shop. When he arrived at Pat's, he would hiss at anyone who went near him. There was no doubt about the capacity of his lungs though. His meow was so loud, he could be heard over the dogs barking. He didn't stay feisty or frightened for long. He quickly became a playful, loving little kitten. Thanks to Chuck for catching him, Joy for keeping him until Pat could pick him up, and Pat for giving him the feeling of safety and lots of tender loving care, Danny is a sweet little boy today. He is a very handsome, well-adjusted cat who loves attention, loves to play, and is looking for a loving home.
Little Charlie
I was with Pat the day she went to pick up an unwanted kitten. Little did we know what this little guy was up against, until Pat held the limp, almost lifeless body of Charlie in one hand. She rushed him directly to the veterinarian's office. At supposedly eight weeks of age, Charlie weighed all of 1.1 pounds. He was covered with fleas, his fur was very thin, and his little tummy was distended. According to the vet, he was experiencing some digestive problems, including both constipation and diarrhea, which led to a very raw rear end. He was also dehydrated. Poor little Charlie's short life had already been an uphill battle. Prior to being rescued by Pat, he had already had a large abscess lanced from the side of his little body. But there was just something about this guy. Even though he seemed so lifeless, looking into his eyes, you could see he had a very strong will to survive. After spending several days at the veterinarian's office for medical treatment, Pat took him home with her, and he's been growing and improving ever since. With plenty of food, water, and more importantly, lots of tender loving care from Pat, Charlie is a healthy, playful kitten. He can be sweet and ornery, all in the same breath, but he's a very special little guy. Charlie still has the glow of determination in his beautiful eyes, and he deserves a wonderful life with a loving family.
Charlie's life doesn't have a happy ending. His life ended much too soon. On Saturday, January 12th, Pat had to rush Charlie to the veterinarian for an emergency visit. Charlie hadn't been feeling well and his breathing had become terribly labored. Pat felt it was necessary for him to be seen by the vet as soon as possible. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and anemia. The vet sent him home with antibiotics. Sunday afternoon, January 13th, Charlie had gotten worse, gasping for every breath. Pat loaded him up and rushed him to the emergency room, but on the way to the ER, Charlie passed away.
Little Charlie was a cat who appeared very old long before his time. In the third picture above, if you look at his face, you can see the look of a very old face on a very young cat. The picture was taken on November 16th, 2007, when Charlie was approximately five months old. This little guy went through so much in such a short amount of time. Maybe he just wasn't meant to be on this earth for very long.
Unfortunately, with animal rescue, no matter what you do, there are some that just cannot be saved.
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Nicholas
On December 28th, 2007, Pat found this dog scared, dirty and abandoned in front of her home. The dog was attached by a leash to the property line marker at the road's edge. There was no information left with the dog, so due to the holiday season, Pat began calling him Nicholas. She took him to the veterinarian for an examination and to be given necessary vaccinations. The vet approximated his age to be around four to five years old and he is probably a pure bred Pembroke Welsh Corgi. He has done well in Pat's care, and has been chosen to become a part of a loving family. Nicholas is going to his new home today, January 7th, 2008.
To this date, no one has come forward with any information about Nicholas and that's very unfortunate for him because he has had to make such a drastic adjustment after being abandoned by his previous owner. He has had to adjust to a new name, a new routine, and new people.
Sadly, this story is one
of the few that ends happily. Too many animals are discarded by owners who
no longer want them and end up in grave situations.