GOLDSBORO, NC.....To say we are beyond FULL is an understatement. The Holiday Season brings out the best and the worst in a lot of people. It is the time of year when animals get abandoned and left out in the cold to freeze and die. Each year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we see some of the worst abuse cases. It never fails, and no matter how hard I try to resist taking in too many animals for lack of funds and space, I still cannot turn my back on these desperate, lost Souls that have been severely Neglected and then Discarded like TRASH.
Sweet Snow is a 5-year-old Pitbull that wandered into someone's yard and just laid down to die. When I first got the e-mail, I was already writing the note saying how sorry I was, but we could not take on any new dogs at this time. I wasn't even going to look at the picture because we are that full and that broke with Medical Bills. I didn't hit send but instead closed my computer and went to the Rehab Center to work with some of our pups that needed some extra TLC today, or maybe it was Me that needed some extra TLC. I didn't even take my computer with me to make sure I did not take in any new pups.
I realized the minute I looked into the faces of the pups we had saved that were full of Life and Joy, that were still healing, I had to look into the face of this sweet dog that was giving up. I never hit send but instead called and said we would take Snow and to get her to Charlotte ASAP.
We see dogs that have given up all the time but this amazing, starved dog had no HOPE left in her body. She could barely raise her head but did all she could to wag her tail. The massive tumor hanging off her face was infected and abscessed. The smell made it difficult even to be in the car with her. When she arrived at the hospital late into the night, she was immediately put in ICU, and the Team started working on her to get her stable. The mass on Snow's mouth was just one of a thousand things that were wrong with this desperate dog. Her body had begun to shut down because she was so starved and something terrible was going on inside that we could not pinpoint.
Once she was stabilized enough for surgery, the mass had to go to rid her body of the infected area or she would become septic. Dr. Michelle Nanfelt was called in to do the surgery because her mouth would have to be reconstructed at the same time. Snow did well during the procedure and seemed to be relieved she no longer had to carry around this large mass. Unfortunately, that was short-lived when it was discovered she had a Bowel Obstruction on top of everything else.
Dr. Nanfelt had to do Emergency Surgery late yesterday, or she was not going to make it. It turns out Snow's Intestine and Bowels were blocked with plastic bags she had been eating to survive. This poor dog had been willing to eat anything to survive. Snow made it out of surgery, and now we just have to turn her Life around to get her to want to be here.
We have two major Surgeries and ICU we have to pay for. Her bills went through the roof in a 24 hour period. In the kennel right next to her in ICU is Brixx. To say we are bleeding money is an understatement. We need for EVERYONE to DONATE something. We haven't even gotten close to Christmas, and the World seems to be discarding and abusing dogs left and right.
Please, Do Not turn your backs on these animals in need. If you see an animal that has been discarded, do whatever you can to help. If your neighbor is distraught during the Holiday Season be a good Neighbor and invite them over to share in your Joy. People that are alone and start to drink with animals around tend to take their anger out on the animals. The Holidays are not about things but about spreading Love and Joy everywhere you can. If you want to give a Gift, give the Gift of Life to a Person or Animal. The Greatest Gift is one that brings pure Joy and Love. BE the Gift that everyone wants to receive.
Warm Hugs and much Love to each of you for a very blessed Holiday Season.
