The Nature Network, Inc.: Sponsor a Pet Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
We are still in urgent need! The Petfinder Foundation's generous and deeply appreciated donation has not been used yet, as we are working hard to raise the total needed of $10,000 for the special large-animal hernia surgery for lovely Samson, a Belgian draft horse. We have raised $5,300 so far and still have $4,700 to go, needed for Samson's surgery, aftercare, recovery and transportation to the equine hospital.
We have many other special-needs pets, mainly dogs, who are unadoptable and have serious medical issues: two with severe eye problems, one with an auto-immune disease, two with difficulty walking, and one small one who had a tough start in life as a now-incarcerated gang member's mini dog and is an incurable fear biter. We also have a cat with herpes of the eye and another cat we found under a building at Cal State University Northridge starving to death with a broken pelvis and tail, who is now incontinent with a tail that was saved but hangs limp.
But Samson the Belgian draft horse is the one requiring the most funds and his surgery is becoming more urgent as time passes. He currently requires weekly vet visits for the pressure re-bandaging to keep the hernia from widening and his intestines from coming through the hole in his underbelly. We are a no-kill animal rescue and do not euthanize animals for lack of funds, so we continue to work hard in the hope of raising additional funds for Samson's surgery.
How many pets did this grant help?
The Petfinder Foundation's wonderful grant is in The Nature Network, Inc.'s bank account, awaiting additional funds so we can go ahead with Samson's surgery, recovery, aftercare and transportation.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
The Nature Network, Inc. rescued wonderful and kind gentle giant, Samson, a Belgian draft horse, from a Los Angeles County shelter after his former owner had starved and abused him. However, Samson needed lengthy hospitalization for nearly fatal sand colic as a result of eating sand and dirt to try to stay alive. Having insufficient funds for this, everything was put on our personal credit cards, which are now still full. Just when Samson’s slow and costly recovery seemed a success, he developed a hernia as a result of the complications with his intestines. The gallons of sand and dirt in Samson’s intestines (causing the colic that created gas buildup, leading to nephro-splenic displacement/entrapment) are now gone and Samson is now healthy in every way — except for his remaining hernia. Still needed is $4,700 to reach the $10,000 for Samson’s hernia surgery, aftercare, recovery and transportation to the equine hospital best equipped to deal with his special large-animal surgery. Samson is a nearly 1,800-lb., over-18-hands-tall large-size Belgian draft horse. He is a wonderful, highly intelligent, sensitive boy who has had a rough life and deserves to be saved. We here at The Nature Network would be very grateful for additional help to save Samson once and for all. Meet Samson: https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/25298412/
