We try to limit our fundraising to a few times a year but many dogs need our help. Your donation saves our neediest cases.
These dogs are in foster homes and need caring, compassionate adopters. To fill out an adoption application click here.
Dinah in OK (12/4/16)
Off the Streets and Into Rehab
Dinah is a 5-year old Great Pyrenees with a heart of gold. This precious gal came to us from an Oklahoma kill shelter emaciated with a great amount of soreness and pain in her hips and joints as she doesn’t have the muscle mass to support her large frame. She came to us weighing 77 lbs. and has already gained 18 lbs. with another 15-20 to go to be considered a lean yet healthy weight. Unfortunately Dinah doesn’t genetically have the healthiest of hip joints to begin with, making her poor health physically debilitating for her. She is so stoic, yet to watch her unable to sit from a standing position and to lay down (which consists of dropping her body to the ground about half way down), is heart breaking. She also has a serious injury to the muscle that supports her rear knee that most likely happened while trying to survive on the streets. She’s on a therapy program as well as a weight gain program to build muscle with the anticipation that this will improve her hip and joint pain. However, once she’s healthy enough she will most likely require surgery on her detached muscle to repair her knee. The surgery alone will run approximately $2200 on top of her already mounting medical bills .Please click on the donate button above if you can help Dinah.
Wyn in CT (11/29/16)
Hip-Hip Hurray!
Wyn and her two sisters came from a Kentucky shelter in May. They were big puppies, probably mixed with Anatatolian Shepherd. Wyn’s two sisters have been adopted. While Wyn was waiting for her furever home, her foster noticed she had a funny gait and wasn’t putting weight on her leg. X-rays and a vet exam revealed that Wyn needed a hip replacement. Since Wyn is under a year old, her chances for a full recovery are good. The cost of Wyn’s surgery is high, $5300, with a rescue discount, but the alternative, putting her down was unthinkable. She is just the sweetest girl, gets along well with other dogs, cats, and everyone she meets including children. She loves to play with other dogs but has had to stop and rest; hopefully, she will be able to play pain free in a few months. Please click on the donate button above if you would like to help Wyn.
Sheba in KY (11/22/16)
Now What?
Sheba is a two-year old female who came into rescue in July as a stray from a Tennesse shelter. Her condition was not good. She had generalized pyoderma, meaning she had almost NO hair on her body. She was super-thin with a body score registering 2 on a scale of 5. It was also necessary to remove a small mass from her chest. As if all that wasn’t enough, at her foster home in August she started limping. Her ACL was completely torn and a partial tear of her meniscus was diagnosed. Sheba needed an expensive operation and a medical foster to recuperate with. By the time this all came together for her it was November. When her pre-opt bloodwork was done, she was also diagnosed with Lyme disease. Sheba is shown here at Ohio State University, patiently waiting for a pre-op evalauation. All tolled, Sheba expenses will be $3,500. Please click on the donate button above if you can help.
Luna in NY (11/21/16)
Lots of Love Left
Nine-year old Luna was surrendered to us this summer when her owner lost her home and was no longer able to care for her. She is an NGPR dog who came from a Hyde Park shelter in 2009. We adopted her out and thought she had her furever home but unfortunately not, so we gladly took her back. Weigihing 123 pounds at te time of intake, Luna was approximately 40 lbs. overweight. She had not been to the vet for four years and needed her vaccinations updated. The condition of her teeth and gums indicated she was badly in need of dental care. Luna was first treated for a urinary tract infection, has been gradually losing weight and is scheduled for dental repair in a few days. We have spent over $1000 on this senior girl to get her ready for adoption. Her foster Mom loves her to pieces and Luna would always have a home there, but she will soon be adopted by a wonderful family in Oswego, NY.
Drake in OH (11/16/16)
We Wished We Could Have Known You Better
Update 11/22/16
Drake had a seizure at the kennel and was taken to the vet who recommended that it was time to say goodbye. This probably wasn’t his first seizure and she was unsure if he would make it through the night. We fell in love with Drake and would like to think he knew he was loved, even for a few days. Here’s a video of him with our volunteers.
We heard Drake was on the euthanasia list at an Indianapolis shelter. He was found wandering and we wanted to give him every chance. A volunteer drove from Ohio to pick him up and bring him to a vet. The news wasn’t good.
He had been neglected for a long time..he had skin issues, entropion in both eyes, contributing to painful low tear production. He is not blind, but his eyes are irritated and will need drops for dry eyes and eventual surgery. He has gingivitis/gum disease, bilateral ear infections that ruptured his ear drums and his ears were filled with yeast and bacteria. He is HW+ with an enlarged heart and some fluid buildup indicating the early stages of heart failure. We took care of his treatable conditions and brought him to our Happy Endings shelter in Springfield where he seemed to be comfortable and enjoyed all the attention.
Sissy in OH (11/16)
Too Young To Feel This Bad
Something went wrong in Sissy’s home in Tennessee. When family services came in to rescue the kids, they found Sissy, who was badly in need of rescue, too. Sissy’s story doesn’t end there. It turns out she is also the victim of neglect. This gorgeous 7-month old pup has an old injury, probably from a car accident, that went untreated. We brought her in for X-rays and found that her knee-cap is all out of kilter. Sissy had surgery for patella luxation which with medical boarding cost rescue around $2200. We are happy to fix her. We couldn’t fix her family problems but coming to rescue has gotten her to a better place. You can contribute to Sissy’s medical expenses by clicking on the blue donate button above.
Missy in OH (11/4/16)
Injured Pup
Update 11/17/16
We learned that Missy had more issues than her non-functioning right leg. We brought her to a neurologist who found severe damage to her spinal cord which also affected her bladder control and use of her left leg. Missy was humanely euthanized in the arms of her foster Tuesday night.
We heard about Missy from a call to our national hotline number. Missy from Ohio was stepped on by a mule at three weeks old. She lived on a mountain in far eastern Ohio and the farmer never took her to the vet. As you can see in this YouTube video, her right rear leg will not bend. She is now 13 weeks old and her problem is finally being addressed.
When Missy came into rescue she was in very poor shape, too thin and loaded with worms. She had shots and dewormer, gained some weight and is now ready for surgery. We were concerned she might have internal injuries as she had no control over peeing or pooping. We got her an appointment at Ohio State on 11/2, hoping her leg could be saved. We learned that Missy’s lack of control was due to her constant state of pain and that her non-functioning leg has to go. We spent $2000 on xrays and a diagnosis but it likely Missy will spend the rest of her life on three legs. We want it to be a good life on three legs! Please help Missy by clicking on the on the blue donate button above.
Lucy in OH (10/16)
Poor Girl!
Lucy is not much more than a puppy at ten months old but she looks so sad. Before she came into rescue Lucy had entropian surgery to repair both her eyelids. Then she got hit by a car and her owner wanted to euthanize her rather than try and fix her. That’s when the friends of the shelter stepped in and contacted National Pyr. We said yes right away. Putting a plate in Lucy’s leg cost $1500 but we think this sweet girl is worth every penny. Please make an investment in Lucy’s future by donating to the cost of her surgery and click on the blue button above.
Judd in AL (9/16)
No Way to Treat a Pyr!
His people had no respect for him so they called him Jughead. When his owner died, his family didn’t want him so they turned him loose and he got hit by a car. He ended up in a tiny cell in a kill shelter on death row. We couldn’t leave him there. We gave him a new name, Judd, and the promise of a new life. It will take one 4” inch plate, 13 screws, $3500 and several weeks of recovery to get Judd back on his feet. We know he’s worth it. Word has it he’s a very nice dog and deserves the best. Please donate to Judd’s care. and click on the blue button above.
Fleur de Lys in KY (9/16)
A Sad Goodbye
Fleur de Lys came into rescue in Kentucky in early September at 54 lbs. She was very emaciated and we were hopeful that with frequent small servings of good quality food and expert vet care, she would be able to turn the corner and start gaining weight. Sadly, despite all of our efforts, her issues could not be resolved. She was taken in for emergency surgery and it was discovered her small intestine had died due to a twist that cut off the blood supply. She became septic and a call from the vet at 2am let us know we had to let her go.
We are mourning her death just when we had hoped to make a better life for this sweet soul. We spent $4300 on Fleur’s emergency surgery but we couldn’t save her. Please click on the blue button above to make a donation in memory of Fleur.
Dreamweaver in TN (9/16)
The Girl the Mail Carrier Dragged In
We found out about Dreamweaver from the mail carrier. She saw this abandoned dog wandering around the area west of Nashville while driving her route. When we got her to the vet we found she was emaciated, dehydrated, heartworm positive, erhlichia positive and had hookworms, mange and heatstroke. After spending $2000 and seven weeks at the vet, she’s ready to go to a foster. We are so glad she is on her feet again. You can donate to Dreamweaver’s care by clicking on the blue button above.
Biscuit in NY (9/16)
On the Mend
Five-year old Biscuit came out of a Kentucky shelter in May and has been on medical hold ever since. It wasn’t immediately apparent that he had an issue with his CCL (cranial cruciate ligament) but over the summer it became obvious that he needed surgery. The surgery was delayed because Biscuit needed a foster who could help rehabilitate him. He was brought to Ohio State University in mid-September, spent a few weeks recuperating and in October was moved to another foster. Biscuit’s ACL will cost rescue almost $4,000 by the time he is through. Please click on the blue button above to make a donation to Biscuit’s surgery.
Kronos in CO (8/16)
A Pain in the Ear
Update 11/12: Kronos was adopted by a wonderful family in Colorado.
Kronos, now called Buckley, was rescued in Louisiana in May. The severity of the problem with his ears didn’t surface until he went to Colorado to be fostered. There were several vet visits and treatments through the spring and early summer but no real improvement in his condition. Kronos finally ended up at Colorado State Unversity in August and that bill alone with aftercare will come close to $2,000. He’s feeling better now and hopefully has seen the last of his ear troubles. Please click on the blue button above to make a donation to Kronos’s surgery.
More Neediest Cases to come in November: Sissy (patella luxation), Missy (TBD, vet appointment 11/1), Wyn (hip replacement), Angel in Tennessee (CCL).
Also see Ortho Alley page for orthopedic surgeries earlier this year and Neediest-Cases 2016.
