Paws for the Cause

Lucky was only about three months old, when he was found on Christmas Eve 2008... half frozen on a snowbank, covered with Mange.  He wouldn't have lasted long in that weather, and was lucky to be found.  MARS took this boy in and he got the treatment he needed to recover from mange. His foster family fell in love with him, and adopted him.  Lucky was almost done with his mange treaments when the picture on the left was taken.  The picture on the right was 5 months later.  What a handsome boy!  His name is now Louie!

Marianna is a sweet young shepherd mix girl who loves everyone- she is simply beautiful. I went to go visit her home to see someone and was told not to pet Marianna because she had been rolling in something and stunk, but that wasn't the problem. She had puss and blood and raw flesh peeking out from under her horribly infected imbedded collar. You could smell her a block away, but it was because of the infection in her neck. I cut off the collar, and  metal buckle would not come out of her neck- she had a giant open gash where the collar had hacked into her neck. The owners surrendered Marianna so that she could get the help and vet care that she needed. Marianna is a wonderfully sweet and beautiful girl. Marianna's is a sad story- but it has a happy ending! Marianna went straight to the vet and was taken care of and will heal just fine. She went to the wonderful MARS rescue, is in a great foster home, and after she has healed and is spayed she will be able to start looking for her forever home- where she will never be neglected, abused, be out in the cold or the rain, and will NEVER have to suffer the pain like that which she experienced with the imbedded collar.Thank you to everyone who donated towards her veterinary costs- she is well worth every penny. We love you Marianna!

P.S.: I am sorry for the graphic photos here, but us viewing them is far less painful than what Marianna went through...

These puppies spent the first month of their life living in this field with their mother, until one day their mother never came home. They spent the next two months or so of their lives on their own, living in this hole in the ground in the middle of a field of weeds. They had no mother to feed and protect them, and no people to take care of them. We have no idea how they survived, but we are so glad that they did! The photos show the first "home" of these three amazing survivors...

This beautiful mama was dumped in a field either during or immediately after giving birth to her beautiful babies. Can you see them peeking out from under her in the top photo, as she tries so hard to protect them from danger and cold? Maggie and her pups all made it- good job Maggie, you were a wonderful mama... (to your very last litter EVER! Yeah!!!)

 Field family video

Annabelle was a special girl. A family went away for the weekend, and when they came back they found Annabelle dumped in a box on their porch. As you can see it was winter and snowy. Annabelle was in the box with four live puppies and one dead puppy, and there were several other dead puppies in a plastic bag. Annabelle was stressed and scared, but glad to go somewhere safe and warm where she didn't have to watch the rest of her babies die from the cold! As if it wasn't shocking enough that someone would dump Annabelle and her babies like that,  there was an even more gruesome discovery: Someone had cut Annabelle open. We assume that someone was trying to help her, like maybe they thought the puppies were stuck or something, but we don't know. Annabelle required vaginal recontructive surgery to repair the damage that was done do her. Annabelle suffered so much, but there's a happy ending: Annabelle and all of her four living puppies were eventually adopted out into wonderful, loving homes!

Thank you Julie and Almost Home Canine Rescue in Madison, SD!!!