Tails of Success

These stories with their happy endings would not have been possible without caring, compassionate individuals who support CDHS.

A Sweet Survivor

Ironically, the animals who have suffered the most at the hands of humans are the ones who are most grateful to the humans who lend them a helping hand.  That was the case with Aubrey.  We weren't sure there was a chance of saving Aubrey, a young female Tortoiseshell cat.  Dealing with the anguish of burns and a serious infection, she had just been rescued from an abusive home.  A veterinarian confirmed her burns were consistent with those inflicted by a microwave oven.  Of all her many injured areas, her tail was by far in the worst shape.  It resembled a piece of beef jerky with a few tufts of hair, likely the result of igniting in the microwave.  Even though in pain and suffering from an infection, she was a loving, gentle cat, eager to please and fighting to live.  Since she was willing to give humans a second chance, it was only fair we helped her to have a second chance too.  We are glad to report Aubrey is now in a wonderful home, and although tail-less (she doesn't mind and neither do her humans), she's an affectionate, lovable pet.

Too Precious to Pass By

This picture was taken of the babe in arms at seven days of age.  Cola, a mixed breed dog of undetermined lineage, came to us by way of a local rodeo.  Taking advantage of a concentration of people at one location, someone was giving puppies away to anyone who was interested.  A pet-loving woman accepted one of the pups hopeful that she'd be able to bring him to CDHS.  He came to us the next day.  Cola, who bore a striking resemblance to the Coca-Cola bear, was an infant.  As with all newborns, he had some very immediate needs.  There was also concern that because he was so young and without his real mother, he may not survive.  For six weeks the Shelter Director took Cola home every day after work and got up several times a night to feed him.  The shelter staff cared for him during the day.  With extra doses of love, care and attention, Cola grew fast and adjusted very well.  He's been adopted into a loving home, and his humans are doting on him.

Showering a Sheltie with Love

Kate's story is a story of cold, hunger and fear turning to understanding, care and love.  It's a very big story for such a little dog.  But the Central Dakota Humane Society knows that these little furry bodies come with hearts that hold more than their share of love and forgiveness.  Kate was found in a field north of Mandan.  A family tried to get near her for a month, but she continually evaded them.  They finally caught her when the weather got cold and she was too weak to run and hide.  When she was brought to CDHS, she was only nine pounds when she should have weighed close to 30.  She had hypothermia and was being eaten by fleas.  Sue Buchholz, CDHS Shelter Director, said the vet told her, "She was trying pretty hard to die.  She wouldn't have made it another day outside."  Buchholz then tracked down the Sheltie's guardian.  Kate had tags.  The guardian said they had given her away four months prior.  The people who got the dog said she ran away a few days after they got her.  In the four months she was on her own, she went from southeast Mandan to northeast.  It turned out that Kate was a pretty tough and determined dog.  Once she was safe inside and getting the help she needed, she recovered remarkably fast.  Her first blood tests showed her thyroid wasn't working properly, which was expected considering her condition when she was brought in.  Her second series of blood work showed all systems running normally!  She also had a staff infection of the skin that was gradually correcting itself and was being slowly dewormed.  She went from 9.2 pounds to 19!  Her true personality began to emerge.  She was a shy girl, but LOVED to be held and liked short walks and looking out the window.  Many loving people took a genuine interest in her, and one person in particular went above and beyond for this sweet, little girl.  Her soon-to-be lifelong companion visited her several times a week, spending hours holding her, talking to her and going for short walks.  Kate adjusted well in her new home with her new family, including one canine sister.  CDHS is proud to have been a small part of her success story, and we wish her well in her new life!

A Burn Victim Beats the Odds

This two-year-old female Schnauzer's story is not an easy one to tell.  Sadie came to live with a Bismarck family who answered an ad in the Giveaway section of the paper.  How long she lived with them isn't known.  At any rate, it was decided Sadie needed a bath.  The person giving her the bath used HOT (later determined to be 150 degree F.) water and Woolite.  We're not sure if the hot water caused a severe burn to her back, if the Woolite did further damage, if she had a severe allergic reaction to the chemical or if the Woolite was not rinsed and continued to eat away at her skin.  Maybe it was a combination of all of the above.  Whatever the reason, Sadie was left with a full-thickness burn from her neck to her tail and running down her sides.  The wound covered approximately 70% of her body.  Though it was obvious Sadie desperately needed medical attention, her family felt they could not afford vet care and attempted to treat her at home, but the wound was far too severe for her little body to heal itself.  Without proper medication and topical treatments, her condition slowly deteriorated.  Three weeks to one month after she was initially injured, her family felt she was not recovering and made the decision to have Sadie euthanized; however, the veterinarian assessed Sadie's situation and made the decision that this little fighter deserved a chance.  She told Sadie's family that Sadie may heal with proper medical care, but treatment would most likely run over $500.  Medication alone would be costly and skin grafts in the future would be a real possibility.  The veterinarian called us, briefly described Sadie's condition and asked if CDHS could help.  We immediately agreed.  Sadie's family surrendered her to the veterinarian and this is how Sadie came to us.  The good news is that with proper antibiotics, daily dressing changes, ace bandage wraps and emu oil lotion on her surrounding skin to help it stretch, her recovery was remarkable.  Although she will probably never have hair on her back, she has quite a wide selection of T-shirts!  She has also been adopted into a devoted new family who love her very much and say they've never known a happier, smarter, more loving and playful little dog.

Shelby's Lifesaving Operation

Shelby, an adorable chocolate-brown Cocker Spaniel puppy, was surrendered to a local veterinary clinic at the tender puppy age of 12 weeks when her people discovered she had a medical condition they could not afford to treat.  Unfortunately, Shelby was diagnosed with a congenital defect known as Portosystemic Shunt.  Simply put, this condition does not allow the liver to filter toxins from the bloodstream and, if left untreated, Shelby's lifespan was estimated to be six months to two years.  A veterinarian at the clinic fell under the spell of Shelby, as did all who met her, and instead of euthanizing her, researched this condition and asked the Central Dakota Humane Society if we thought we could help raise the needed funds for corrective surgery.  So delicate and detailed is the procedure that her best option would be the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital, which has the equipment and experience required.  Unfortunately, this advanced surgical procedure came with the hefty price tag of $3,500.00.  While this made us take a sharp breath, it did not take long to decide to try to raise the funds.  If the surgery went as expected, it would be a 100% cure with no aftereffects, no lifetime of medicine.  She would be the healthy, vibrant loving companion she had the potential to be.  We immediately knew we wanted to try to do this for Shelby and started a campaign to raise needed funds.  Caring, concerned people responded in overwhelming proportions and the Central Dakota Humane Society received the money necessary for Shelby's surgery.  Shelby, as we all hoped and prayed, made it through her operation with flying colors!  She has been placed with her new family, and the report is that she has settled in well and is a lively, welcome addition to their household where she is busy running around with her new critter brothers and sisters.  We could not be happier with the outcome!  Shelby's needs were great, but the generosity of our animal-loving community was also great enough to make this life-saving operation a reality.