CHEW-Canine Health Education and Welfare: All-Star Dog Rescue Celebration Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
These funds were used to cover eye consultations resulting in cataract surgery and extensive dental work on Phoebe, a small gray and white poodle. Also, these funds help defray the cost of a dermatologist, a naturopath and multiple vet visits for a skin condition determined to be a severe allergic reaction to her environment for Reva, a young golden retriever mix.
These funds gave us more options in the case of Phoebe and Reva. Phoebe is an older dog at 8 years old, while Reva is young at just 2 years old. These funds gave us the option to pursue a path outside the box to provide not only care to improve the quality of life but solve their health issues.
How many pets did this grant help?
This grant was used by two of our most medically expensive dogs.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Phoebe was saved from [an open-admission] shelter. She is older, at 8 years old with a life expectancy of 15, was born with just three legs and, we were told, was otherwise in okay health, though she was starting to bump into things. There was something we could see that said she could overcome anything if just given a chance. Our mission is to have one special-needs dog where we feel we can make a difference in his or her life. Upon her first vet visit, it was determined Phoebe’s teeth were in such bad shape that they were starting to disintegrate her jaw, and it appeared she had cataracts in both eyes. Upon hearing this news, we knew we would have to get into fundraising mode quickly to help her.
It was recommended that she see an eye specialist to determine if surgery would help. This grant came at the perfect time and let us take Phoebe to an ophthalmologist and have the most critical cataract removed. The other cataract was small and not a real issue. It was also determined that pulling her teeth would save her jawbone and she would still be able to eat. Without these funds, we wouldn’t have been able to quickly get Phoebe the care she needed.
We thought that, once she had recovered from all her medical procedures, we would have our work cut out for us finding the perfect forever home. Happily, that was not the case for our Phoebe girl! A retired couple who loved small poodles heard her story, fell in love with her picture and her spirit and wanted to adopt her instantly, even before her surgeries were complete. They just knew they were meant for each other! Phoebe is thriving in her forever home.
After Phoebe healed from her eye surgery, her forever mom said she turned into a lovable little terror, racing up and down the stairs as fast as she can go. The difference in Phoebe is visible, as her love for life, being loved and loving in return, and being able to see and eat have recharged her spirit for life. This grant truly made a difference in this little girl’s life. The second photo is after surgery: a happy little girl!
