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On
a cold wintry night in early January, a family brought Shiloh, their 7-month-old beagle puppy, to the shelter seeking help.
He had just been hit by a car and needed Immediate medical
attention, which they could not afford. And
so they reluctantly surrendered him to the care of the shelter staff. “Unfortunately, many families when faced with the prospect of expensive medical bills
are forced to make the difficult decision of
whether to keep their pet
or not,” said Suzette Stitely, Talbot Humane Executive Director.
“And this is not just a dilemma faced by families. As stewards for the shelter animals, we must also decide which of them will get the
necessary medical treatment and which will not.”
In
the case of the beagle puppy, he was only seven months old
and it was
concluded that he had the prospect of a long happy life ahead of him.
But the surgery to save him would cost over $800, and the shelter
had no budget for such an expense. After spending a sleepless night
figuring out what to do, Stitely began calling a few Talbot
Humane supporters the
next morning, asking each of them for $30 to help cover the procedure.
By noon, more than enough was raised, and with the help of Community
Animal Hospital, which donated a portion of their surgical services,
Shiloh’s damaged rear leg was removed.
After a brief period of adjustment, Shiloh was up and running
within a week of his surgery. He
has found his new forever home on the Western Shore, and fits in well
with the three other beagles in the household.
His new family reports that Shiloh, now called "Doc,"
is doing well and is a very happy puppy.
“So
that we can provide similar happy endings to other shelter animals in
need, we have established the Shiloh Fund in this puppy’s name. All
proceeds will be used to help cover medical expenses related to
accidents, heartworm treatments, or other life-and-death emergencies
that are above and beyond the normal care we provide,” explained
Stitely. To help animals like
Shiloh get a second lease on life, you may contribute to the fund
online or by
check, made payable to Talbot Humane, Attn. Shiloh
Fund, or stop by the shelter to donate by credit card.
It’s one live-saving decision that couldn’t be easier.
DONATE TO THE SHILOH
FUND
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