The rescue year is at a close and the neediest keep coming in. We try to limit our fundraising to a few times a year but neediest cases appear all the time. Frequently we are the “rescue of last resort” who will help a dog that other groups have passed by. NGPR is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit and your tax-deductible donation helps save our neediest cases who can also be found here, here, here and here. The dogs needing help never end and we will never stop helping them!
Many of the neediest cases below are in temporary homes. Please consider helping a neediest case by fostering or adopting one. If you have a question, please contact us.
Noelle (12/23/19)
Having a Happy Holiday
Noelle will be having her merriest Christmas ever. She came from a Michigan shelter after 16 dogs were removed from a hoarding situation in November. She spent her life outdoors and was used for breeding other dogs. We took her because nobody else would.
She’s a nine year-old female, underweight with a broken tail and two masses. One is a mammary tumor and the other is on her hip. She has pretty bad skin issues but in spite of all her problems, she’s got the sweetest temperament and is absolutely loveable. She’s good with other dogs and has lived with cats before.
She has a vet appointment for spaying and removal of her tumors after the holidays. We are praying that her biopsy will be negative so she can experience a happier life.
Capri (12/14/18)
No Walk in the Park
We got Capri in August but the case for her severe medical problems has been building since then. She is a Pyr girl over 10 years old who was left in the drop box at the Estell County Shelter with a baseball size mass on the back of her head. The Way Home Rescue Alliance pulled her and contacted NGPR. We took her straight to our vet who removed the tumor which was benign. Her 4Dx was positive for ehrlichia, which she has been treated for. She has hair missing on her head, legs and tail and her skin is bald and raw. Capri has been on at least 3 different antibiotics with no change in her skin condition. The vet found a fluid filled mass in her abdomen and referred her to an ultra sound specialist who found that she has renal cysts on her kidneys. She recently had a skin biopsy, pending results. The specialist also recommended that Capri have a Cushing’s disease test. Capri is on thyroid medication, which seems to be working but she has lost a few pounds since. She is not overweight so we need to watch that she does not lose too much weight. Capri is old and arthritic, has trouble getting up and needs a little assistance sometimes. We hope to get her over the worst of her problems so she can enjoy the time she has left.
Daisy (12/3/18)
Doing Alright
Daisy is another senior girl who has been in rescue for over a year, since November 2018 but has recently developed a new problem.
Daisy came from a Georgia farm and is currently with a Florida foster. We estimate her age to be about nine. Daisy has cataracts and needs to take medication for arthritis. She came to us heartworm positive and we are now happy to say that her latest test was negative for heartworm. She has some anxiety issues but her foster has worked through most of them with her.
This fall her foster noticed several growths on her chest and Daisy had a mastectomy in December to remove them. We are hopeful and awaiting the results of the test.
Sarah (12/20/19)
The Saga Continues
Sarah’s sad story starts a year ago in November 2018 and is ongoing. We were contacted by a woman in Branch County, MI who wrote: “I was able to live trap this girl last Friday on a case that has been ongoing. A family got a Pyr and pups last year and turned them loose with goats. Some were hit in the road and others left to fend for themselves. I was unaware of this girl until recently-presumably because she would hide in with the goats and only neighbors would see her. With the weather change and lack of food, she started coming out and we could immediately tell she had either been hit or was suffering from something disease wise-she could barely walk and it was hunched, shaking. She is skin and bones.”
When we got Sarah shortly afterward, we found she had an extremely uncoordinated way of running and jumping. She could not control her pooping either, long after she knew the housebreaking rules. Sarah frequently seemed to be in discomfort and one of our volunteers recognized the signs of neosporosis, a degenerative neuromuscular disease, transmitted by parasites. There is no known cure for it. We are hoping the best for Sarah but the long term prognosis for dogs with this condition is not good. She has her good days and bad days with medication helping to ease some of her discomfort.
The Poor Puppies (11/29/19)
No Where to Go
Some of the saddest stories are those of puppies. All of these pups have come into rescue this week. They are the survivors. The youngest dogs are always the greatest at risk as they are dependent on humans and the situation of the adult dogs they are with. All these pups need time at an initial foster home where they can be assessed and stabilized; then moved on to interim fosters where they can stay until they are old enough to be adopted. Puppy fosters are needed to foster two or more pups, especially in Kentucky and Eastern Tennessee. Please visit nationalpyr.org/fostering to apply and learn more.
Clockwise (top left) The Alabama Landfill Litter who were living with their Mom at a dumpsite; two Knoxville area pups who survived their Mom and a littermate being hit by a train; Kentucky pups surrendered from a farm after one of their littermates was killed by a goat; Noah from that litter at the vets; six tiny, less than a week old survivors of a litter whose Mom was running on the road near Memphis and deposited them under a trailer until rescue volunteers could reunite them; Chase in Chattanooga, whose owners left him at the emergency vet when they couldn’t afford the $3-4k quote for his parvo treatment. NGPR had him moved to a less expensive clinic, picked up the $1k tab and a kind vet tech brought him home with her as a short term (2-3 week foster) when he was released a few days later. Let us know if you can help by fostering.
Acadia (11/5/19)
A Sweet Stray
This girl was found wandering in Acadia Parish in Lousiana. The shelter contacted us about helping her. They didn’t want to keep her; the ACO was adament about her being gone as soon as possible. She has a spay scar and also a small hernia along that incision. Her right elbow is bigger than the left, although she has a normal range of motion. She has bilateral ear infections and aural hematoma, probably from shaking her ears from pain. We were surprised to find that she does not have mange, but she does have skin infections from scratching due to a flea allergy. She is heartworm positive and has a grade1/VI heart murmur and weighed only 60 lbs at intake. Acadia is a sad picture of neglect; she couldn’t have survived much longer on the street. She has been vetted and treated for her problems and placed with an NGPR foster to recover.
Numa (10/29/19)
A New Lease on Life
We received this email late in October from an ACO in Pennsylvania. “Today I was called to assist in a dog case in another county. A woman had died in her home two weeks ago, leaving her dog in the home alone all this time. A neighbor had been feeding the dog through the door and they took his barking as protecting the home as pure aggression. I was told the dog had been shut in a room by the owner, every time someone came over, so he wasn’t socialized. We were told how aggressive the dog was and that he needed to be put down, However, we were feeding the dog treats at the door, and could tell right away that this dogs problem was that he was frightened and confused. His owner died on the floor in front of him.
Together with another humane officer I entered the house. It was a hoarder house, this alone could add to the stress to the dog. We followed him upstairs, after several minutes of speaking to him, and giving him treats, he calmed down and were were able to slide the catch pole over him. We got him outside and placed in the backseat of my car with no issues. As I had guessed, once we got him out of the house, his whole attitude changed. I think it was his first car ride. He was enjoying turning his head in the wind then watched me drive till he laid down and slept. At the shelter, I took him out of the car with no issue, he rubbed against my leg and I did pet him as I put him in an outside kennel
As I was getting ready to leave, he was looking at me and gave one soft bark, so, I had to go back and say good by one more time, and give him some treats. I rescued him from his home today, please rescue him from the shelter. He is between 9 and 11 years old, and I know for a fact that if a rescue isn’t lined up for him, they will put him down. After what he has gone through, he deserves a new lease on life. ” One of NGPR’s volunteers drove ten hours to get Numa to safety. We learned there was a tumor in his red and inflamed eye that most likely was cancer. The best thing for Numa was to remove the eye. He is now recovering emotionally and physically from his ordeal in a loving NGPR foster home. Please email director@nationalpyr.org if you would like to learn more about Numa or adopt him.
The Ohio Four (10/15/19)
Forced Retirement: Holly, Colleen, Kasey and Bailey
Early in October a woman who boarded her pet dog at Lucky Mutts in Springfield OH contacted them to let them know that she was closing down her farm due to debt and bad health. She needed to surrender the four dogs she had who had worked on her farm. Holly, an Akbash, age 13, was protecting her flock until six months ago; Colleen (left), a Great Pyrenees age 8, had a grapefruit-sized mass between her hind legs; Kasey, an Akbash male age 8, who needs dental work and Bailey, a female Akbash age 6, who thankfully has not exhibited any serious medical issues yet. The dogs have been moved to our Springfield kennel to be evaluated while we start searching for homes for them.
Goliath, Rainbow & Family (10/10/19)
The Whole Kit and Kaboodle
A neighbor contacted Springfield OH animal control about a neglect situation in mid-August. Several animals on the property appeared to be dead, including five Pyr-Lab puppies. The shelter seized the surviving four pups and turned them over to NGPR so they could find homes. There were other dogs hidden in the house that animal control could not access without a warrant. One was finally obtained in early September and additional corpses were discovered in the house. Two adult Pyrs, Goliath and Rainbow, the parents of the four pups, were seized and turned over to NGPR. Rainbow, the Mom, is being assessed for a possible mass in her bladder. Goliath (left), the Dad, was diagnosed with pulmonic stenosis, a severe heart murmur which restricts blood flow to the heart. He had a balloon valvuloplasty on 10/11, a procedure to open up the pulmonary valve. The cost of Goliath’s surgery was $3,700 and he is doing well, recuperating with our dedicated foster Claudia.
Ariella (10/3/19)
Doesn’t want to stick her tongue out at you!
Ariella came to us from a crowded Georgia shelter where she was found in horrible shape. Time was running out there for her. Look at this poor girl’s face! Ariella’s jaw is either missing or has been seriously injured to the extent that her tongue hangs out. This needs to be evaluated to see how she can be helped. After we pulled her, we found a tumor on her leg that needs to be biopsied and removed. We have no idea what happened to her, but despite the agony she has suffered, Ariella loves people and is a very sweet young girl around 2 years old. Even though her tongue hangs out of her mouth she can eat—thank goodness! Her vet bills have been extensive—and we’ve only just begun to get her the help she needs to live a happy, full life. Please help us help this special dog who deserves better than the life she’s had.
Adonis (9/19/19)
(And He Could Be One With An Adjustment)
Poor Adonis was abandoned in Alabama in late June and has a deformed front leg. His twisted left leg was likely broken at one time but never fixed so he continues to walk on it with a limp. He was transferred to Ohio and we got him to an orthopedic vet in September. He will need surgery to fix his foot and we all know how much orthopedic surgery costs! He is an extremely nice Pyr mix about 3 years old. Adonis was the official greeter at the shelter he was pulled from and liked meeting all the people and dogs coming in. He was overlooked because of his leg. He deserves a home of his own and to get his leg fixed so he won’t be overlooked any more.
Harry (9/5/19)
Beaten But Not Broken
Great Pyrenees Rescues Society (GPRS) was contacted about a young male Pyr named Harry from a rural county in Texas. Neighbors witnessed Harry being severely beaten by his owner after he had attempted to jump the fence out of fear, because the other dogs in the yard were attacking him. Animal Control was called to the residence and fortunately, the owners agreed to surrender Harry to a county shelter, who then called GPRS. Unfortunately, the neighbors wanted to remain anonymous. Animal Control could see the dog was injured, but without a written statement from a witness, they could not press charges. The vet who saw Harry determined that he was so severely beaten that his hip was broken and he needed FHO surgery to repair it. Harry has had his surgery and and is now on the road to recovery and in a new home where is loved and appreciated.
Bowie (9/1/19)
Running on the Streets of Detroit
Bowie a.k.a. BoBo was found running on the streets of Detroit scavenging for his next meal. Steve, our OH Kennel Manager, drove to Detroit from Springfield, OH to get him. Bowie came to our rescue September 1 and we thought he had been hit by a car. After taking him to the vet, we learned he has a congenital condition and needs new knees so he can live a normal life and play like other dogs. His first surgery was mid-October and he is recovering nicely and doing physical therapy. He’s a strong boy with so much love to give. Bowie will be so surprised how it feels to walk like other dogs, and he deserves that! We still need funds for his surgeries so please consider contributing to Bowie’s fundraiser. He’s just 2 and deserves a life pain-free. He will be having the other knee done around mid-November.
Fluffer Nutter (8/16/19)
Too Young to Be Blind
Fluffer Mutter was one of five Pyrs at a Tennessee shelter last week. He was picked up wandering in the woods in May. They kept him at the shelter a longer time than usual because he was so nice but then they contacted NGPR. They were so full he was in danger of euthanization and his need for placement became urgent. Fluffer was one of the most urgent because they thought he was a senior. As it turns out, he is a younger boy around three with bad eyes. The shelter said he had one cloudy eye but we can see that both are cloudy, one more than the other. It’s so sad to have cataracts at such young age. Fluffy seems to see a little; he is not running into things—yet. NGPR brought him in for an exam and learned that his condition is congenital so there’s not much that can be done for him. Happily, he has an adopter, who wants him just the way he is!
Ozee (8/13/19)
A Big Fat Lie
We were alerted to this Pyr in Ohio by a friend of hers. The sheriff was present at the surrender to NGPR because the dog was in such bad shape. The woman claimed she went away for a week and when she came back the dog looked like this. Yeah, right. We brought her into a vet immediately for emergency care and found she was running a temp of 104.5. She is in critical shape and the vet felt this had developed into a systemic problem. They ran tests and checked her protein levels. Although she has a fever, her heart rate is normal. She may never grow her hair back and could need a consultation with a dermatologist. This situation had to have been going on for over three months. When she was picked her up, her skin actually split on her leg and bled.
Finn (7/27/19)
RIP
Finn was pulled from an Oklahoma shelter late in July. He was doing well so Great Pyrenees Rescue of Oklahoma brought him into an emergency vet who wasn’t quite sure what was wrong with him, although distemper was known to be present at the shelter he came from. The emergency vet held him for three days while they did tests, waiting for the results to come back. The initial estimate of $2,000 soared to $5,000 by the time the test results came back. He was moved to the University of Oklahoma veterinary hospital where he was kept a few days until he improved, where close to another $2,000 was billed for his care. He was released to a foster and after a few days of slow improvement once he left the hospital, Finn took a drastic turn for the worse. He was euthanized Monday August 14 at the recommendation of his medical care team. Although he did not survive, GPRO is grateful to everyone who helped Finn and all the others Pyrs in need.
Norman (6/26/19)
A Dangerous Situation
When Norman came into rescue he was in bad shape. He was too skinny to be neutered and had Lyme disease. We thought he was over the worst and it would be smooth sailing for him after that. But at 1 am Norman’s foster Mom, Helen, noticed he wasn’t feeling well. Suspecting bloat, she rushed him to the emergency vet. NGPR volunteers responded in the wee hours to get Norman the immediate help he needed. Bloat is frequently fatal and this fast action saved Norman’s life. The lucky guy was well enough to go home the next day. The cost to rescue for saving Norman’s life a second time? An enormous $4,000 bill. If you can help with Norman’s emergency care, please click the donate button above.
Betty (6/20/19)
A Mom and Her Pups
Betty is as sweet as can be, even though she came from a terrible life with terrible owners. She was bitten by a snake and not taken to the vet, so part of her foot came off and she lost a toe. Her mangled foot is now disformed but if that wasn’t enough, she had a litter of pups at the tender young age of 1.5 yrs old and then was hit by a car. She was left on the side of the road with 10 three-week-old puppies. That’s when Great Pyrenees Rescue got the call to come and get her and her pups because the owners couldn’t afford a vet and couldn’t take care of the pups. After three days Betty was released from the vet office with with a lot of plates and screws holding her front legs together. Just another day in rescue when the GPRS wonderful network of drivers and volunteers moved heaven and earth to get Betty and her pups safe and into rescue!
Molly (6/8/19)
I Fell Down, You Picked Me Up
Poor Molly is heartworm positive and needs to gain quite a bit of weight. She is shown (bottom left) traveling with her Lamb Chop stuffie. She is also on medication for her liver, so additional blood work and testing is needed to determine what she requires. So awful to see how thin and neglected she is, and yet she is so sweet. The MS vet who saw her alerted us to an orthopedic issue, so we will be checking this out too, so Molly can move on to a healthy, pain-free life.
Get Me Out of Here!
Five days later her foster, Liz, writes: “Her transformation is nothing less than amazing! She is no longer fearful of everything! She loves it when I go into the office and talk to ‘her’ on the phone. She just loves to hear a pleasant voice in calm tones. Junie is hesitant of new folks but with a quiet approach, she is intrigued. She had a crate in the office with a fan blowing on her. She has access to the entire room though feels most comfortable on her bed in the crate. A plug-in Adaptil is nearby and that is helping. Vet also prescribed some calming meds, more for the itching but they help overall. Her skin is much less red so the mites are dying off. Her secondary yeast infection is clearing up. June Bug is on the road to recovery.” Thank you to everyone who donated to this sad case.
A Valiant Fighter
Since then Rosebud has had two surgeries to remove the necrotic tissue and heal the 12″ incision on her leg where tissue was removed. She is getting wound vac treatments to remove fluid build up and continues on IV antibiotics. When she first arrived at U Tenn we were hoping to save her life; she is doing so much better, we are now optimistic about saving her leg. Thank you to everyone who helped donate to Rosebud’s care, which will approach $10,000.
Too Young to Die
They are 5-6 months old and someone set them loose, probably because they were getting bigger and couldn’t be sold as puppies anymore. There were numerous local posts on Facebook but no one claimed them at the Alabama shelter that picked them up. Kate has been diagnosed with parvo and is under treatment at a vet’s office. Jaclyn has tested positive for parvo, too. Farrah has lucked out so far, testing negative to date for this frequently fatal disease.
We are hoping for the best for these girls and will do whatever it takes to treat them. But we have to wonder, when will the irresponsible breeding end? How many dogs have to die before negligent owners who set innocent pups loose are forced to stop? It cannot be soon enough for us and all the other rescues who witness the sad results of this criminal behavior every day.
Wandering No More
He has been wandering for quite some time but people have been feeding him. They didn’t notify the shelter sooner because they were afraid he would be put down. For some reason they thought leaving him in the shape he was in was better than being putting him down.
Our foster Katie stepped up and offered to help him. He has demodectic mange, severe skin infections, ehrlichia and ingrown embedded dew claws. He was pretty shut down at the vet but we hope with treatment Whistler will be feeling much better. Thank you to everyone who donated to his care.
So Full of Life
After an ultrasound was performed, Spirit was diagnosed with a congenital condition, kidney/renal dysplasia, where the kidneys are not formed correctly. Dogs with this condition are prone to infections and kidney failure and there is only so much that can be done for them. There is no cure for him but Spirit is on a special diet to help prolong his life. Right now he weighs 70 lbs. and is strong and full of energy. He’s enjoying his life and we hope he can be happy and playful for a lot longer.
Keeping Kurry Alive
She went to Nashville Veterinary Specialists who did an amazing job helping her. Unfortunately they had to remove her leg as the tumor was entirely wrapped around the bone. The vet believes they got all of the margins of the tumor, giving this sweet girl a great chance to survive. Her surgery was $2,400, which is reasonable given the hours they spent on her working to save her life. She is learning to get around as a tripod and doing very well. Kurry needs a foster, so please email director@nationalpyr.org if you can help her.
She’s Gone: Updated (3/5/19)
Barely Pieced Together
What’s Right?
His foster Mom Terry says, “Bart is home. Was a long surgery where they arthroscopically cleaned/smoothed out both elbows and had to cut his left ulna. Snoring next to my feet now on pain meds. On a bright note, his eyes look great with the stitches out from his last surgery.”
A Long Road from a Chain
A wonderful foster volunteered to take her through her long steps to recovery in Ohio, where she was evaluated by orthopedic specialists who finally zeroed in on the source of her pain. She had her first surgery on January 24th, and her foster is thrilled with her recovery: “Finn is doing great! She must feel better than before the surgery—she’s been so happy and goofy. I have to slow her down on the walks. She’s even squatting to pee now—something she had difficulty doing before. Can’t wait to see her in a few more weeks!”
Findley will have surgery on her other leg as soon as the surgeon gives the okay. The cost of her surgeries and orthopedic consultations will total around $8,000. With the help of great fosters and generous donors, we can help dogs like Findley get back on their feet to a pain-free life.
My Tummy Hurts
Following this procedure Lucy got worse and when examining her the vet thought he felt an intussusception (a condition when the intestine folds up inside itself) in her lower intestine. In her case it was inverted about 6 inches, creating a total blockage and very painful. Lucy improved remarkably after her surgery in mid-February and it’s likely she’s had a smaller fold or kink for a long time. NGPR picked up the tab for a $2,400 vet bill for Lucy’s surgery. She’s doing much better now and went to her furever home at the end of March.
I Wanna Walk
Life on the Edge
Kurry is completely emaciated and has a large tumor on her leg which was aspirated today. She will likely need surgery but at five years old, she is in such poor shape she is not even well enough for that. Thankfully we have a foster who will care for her and help nurse her back to health. Please send good thoughts, prayers and wishes to Kurry in Mississippi.
Hit by Car
Randy is our first HBC (Hit by Car) of 2019. He’s the one who unfortunately didn’t get away. He was hit by a car in Kentucky and badly injured. We got the call about him about 10 pm Tuesday night. His owners surrendered him to the vet’s office as they could not afford the surgery to fix him. He has a displaced humeral fracture on his front left leg. The last Pyr we had needing this surgery cost $3,800 to fix. We are getting Randy in for a surgical consult now.
Randy has been described as friendly, calm and stoic even though he is in a lot if pain. Sadly, we can’t believe how many Pyrs we have seen hit and killed or very badly injured lately. Or, how people can still question the need to keep these dogs in securely fenced yards.
Close Call
Sadly this week there was another boy in Tennessee who was hit and killed in Greene county. Our volunteer Celeste picked him up and is giving him a proper burial at her home. What some people do not know about Pyrs is they are tremendous escape artists and need secure fencing or they will wander.
Dinner Is Served!
