The Humane Society of Berks County sends out regular e-newsletters to nearly ten thousand of our active supporters sharing information about events, programs and issues. Sometimes we will send one out to just share a nice story.
Yesterday (3-22-10), I sent an e-news about a little dog named Chief (now Camper) who was helped by our staff and I thought it was a nice illustration of the work they do every day for the animals, the kind of work that doesn’t get in the newspapers because it is now routine for us. The press often only takes notice when you do something “exceptional” but they don’t always notice how exceptional it is to make something previously exceptional not exceptional any more (and the Oscar for most use of “exceptional” in a sentence goes to me).
Anyway, judging from the immediate round of positive emails and kind words we received, I thought it would be a great story to share on our website, too. If you didn’t get the enews, sign up here!
It used to be that the Humane Society of Berks County had pretty limited options for most sick and injured animals entering our two shelters. We didn’t have the veterinary resources needed to fix anything but the most basic problems. Injured strays were lucky enough to get sent to an outside veterinarian while we hoped to find an owner who could take on the care (and vet bills). All too often, that owner was never found and we couldn’t afford the cost to fix the animals, so they faced euthanasia.
It was even worse for sick and injured animals who came to us through owner surrender. The worst cases never had a chance because we couldn’t afford to fix them. That, too, meant the harsh reality of open door animal sheltering: euthanasia. For a lucky few there were “emergency medical funds”, a small pool of money given by donors specifically for special cases. But that might only help one in ten. Or fifty. Or one hundred.
But now, literally every day, we are saving the lives of animals coming into our shelters because of the expansions we’ve made to our veterinary capabilities in the last couple of years. With four fantastic staff veterinarians, skilled support staff, new acquired equipment and capabilities like digital x-ray and ultrasound, and increased adoption rates giving us more space and time for recovery, what was once unusual is now the norm.
One story really jumped out at me today and I wanted to share it with you. It is about a Beagle mix puppy named Chief who almost certainly would not have been saved just a year or two ago.
Chief came to us with a severely broken right front leg. Because the break was so severe, casting it was not an option. His only option was an amputation, something that would have been impossibly expense for us in the past, even if we could have managed the recovery care and time he’d require without running out of space in our kennel.
But now isn’t then. Chief was scheduled for amputation surgery. Two of our amazing HSBC veterinarians, Dr. Heather Westfall and Dr. Lori Schluth, performed the surgery and Chief came through with flying colors. He recovered under the care of our HSBC veterinary assistants and kennel technicians. After only a few days post-surgery he was cleared for adoption. He was very active, played with toys and greeted anyone who approached him with a hello Beagle howl.
And today he went home with his new family.
The funny thing about this story is that it’s not very special. We are doing things like this, things that would have been considered miracles a short year or two ago, every single day. These stories won’t make the newspaper because they are not exceptional at the Humane Society of Berks County. It’s what we do. It’s what we have become. We save animals. It’s how we roll.
I just wanted you to read Chief’s story and know that there is a reason that, as heart warming as it is, it’s an every day occurrence. It’s because of you and your support and the support of people and businesses in Berks and across Pennsylvania, the USA, and even the world. The resources you so generously provide to us– financial, time, products, services– have turned our work upside down.
We used to be amazed when we could save a dog like Chief and he would be in the vast minority. Now, we are managing to save all of the healthy and to fix and save the vast majority of the sick and injured. But not all.
However, the staff, board and volunteers of the Humane Society are committed to saving them all. In one or two more years we want to be in a place where we can take them all in, fix them all, get them all adopted and have it be unthinkable that we should fail.
Just a few years ago a goal like this would have seemed like a joke. But just a few years ago, Chief wouldn’t ever have survived. Thank you for expecting more of us and thank you for helping us get were we are now.
Dear Everyone, Thank you so much for the wonderful story on Chief. We know from experience of your wonderful work at the Humane Society. We have our wonderful Evan from you great people since Aug.08 as we call him Evan from Heaven what a wonderful God’s little creature you have left into our lives and we cannot thank you enough for the blessing. Evan gets along so well with his sisters and brother,it is like he was here since a puppy.I know the people that Chief has been sent home with are special, the picture says it all,thankyou once again for sharing such a wonderful story. Bless all of you.
Thank you so much for that heart warming story. As soon as I can free up some cash, I fully intend to donate to your worth while organization. Thanks and God Bless for all your good work.
Hello, My name is Susan and I visit the shelter about once every two weeks to say hello to my furry friends. I adopted my dog Maggie from your shelter about 5 years ago and she is the love of my life. I met Chief on Saturday,and I didn’t even realize he was a fresh amputee. I couldn’t tell at first,because he was so lively and healthy looking. Thank you, and thanks for all you do to help the animals.