Honey ... safe in rescue!

Honey on her way into the
cities from Bemidji

I received the greatest gift for Valentine's Day yesterday when Pet Haven let me know they would take Honey into their foster program and provide the medical care she needs. Jenny and I met the transport at 1 pm at Plymouth Heights Pet Hospital. Jenny lifted her out of the kennel. We weren't sure if she could even stand or put any weight on her legs. It was obvious she wasn't putting any weight on her front left leg. She was wobbly and kept collapsing but with support, was able to stand for a little while and go potty.  All she wanted though was to be loved and petted.

Honey gets checked out by the vet. A couple x-rays are taken and it is confirmed that her front left leg is completely broken, and we are not sure how much nerve damage there is. The vet worries about her lungs and respiratory system from the trauma of the accident so a chest x-ray is also done. If she has damage to her lungs it will determine the care she will need through the night. Fortunately Honey's lungs check out okay. An x-ray of her lower area shows that her pelvic bone was not broken ... a HUGE relief for all of us as that means her prognosis is much better. She has external injuries on her back leg from road rash and is on antibiotics for the infection. She must've been in an incredible amount of pain and yet, she doesn't even show it ... these precious animals simply amaze me at how resilient they are ....

Honey was given morphine for the pain yesterday and a comfy blanket was set up for her in a kennel so she could rest. She will be spending some time at the clinic and will go through more tests today. The vet didn't want to do too much yesterday as she has already been through so much. We will know soon whether Honey's leg will need to be amputated. Pet Haven also has a foster lined up for her and ready to take this sweet girl into her home and help her heal and recover.

Thank you Pet Haven for taking this sweet girl into your foster program. Thank you for giving her the gift of life. And thank you to the countless number of people who played a role in saving this girl's life ... from Natasha, the good Samaritan who pulled her from the middle of the road up at Leech Lake Reservation, to Rory (Leech Lake Rez Animal Control Officer) for reaching out to Leech Lake Legacy for help, to Animal Care Clinic in Bemidji for caring for her till we could find a place for her, to Nancy O for transporting her to Motley and Barb W for transporting her from Motley to the cities .... to Mary Ann (board member of Pet Haven) for being an incredible advocate for this girl and thinking creatively ... to the Pet Haven dog division leadership team for their willingness and flexibility to 'wing it' and to bend some of the rules ... to Karen Good of Red Lake Rosie's Rescue for reaching out to her network and being willing to provide temporary care for Honey, to Plymouth Heights Pet Hospital for taking her in so quickly and providing her with such great care, to Dinie (Pet Haven foster) for opening up your home and your heart to help this sweet girl heal and recover, to Lisa J for calling me and reaching out to help in any way possible ... and last but not least, a heart felt thanks to my partner in crime with Leech Lake Legacy, Jenny F, for all you do on a daily basis. It's hard for me to believe that since last May we have been able to help ~ 270 animals ... with Leech Lake Legacy we believe that by collaborating and working together we can do much more for these precious animals. It amazed me to witness yesterday how so many people came together to help Honey .... For everyone involved, thank you for caring and thank you for making a difference.

Honey

I couldn't sleep last night and I woke up this morning haunted with Honey's face. Honey is a 1 year old aussie mix who was found lying by the side of the road up at Leech Lake Reservation yesterday. Would today be the day we would have to authorize the euthanasia of this sweet pup because we had no place for her to go?

Our efforts to help the animals up at Leech Lake Reservation began last May, and what emerged was Leech Lake Legacy, a collaborative effort to help the dogs and cats at Leech Lake Reservation. Since last May we have been able to give 270 animals a second chance in large part due to our partnership with the Animal Humane Society (AHS) and MnPAW (Minnesota Partnership for Animal Welfare).  Several other shelters and rescues (Animal Allies, Tri-County Humane Society, Carver Scott Humane Society, Pet Haven, Act V Rescue & Rehabilitation) have played a large role in helping these precious animals. 

Yesterday my friend Jenny got the call from the Leech Lake Reservation Animal Control Officer (ACO) about Honey.  She authorized the okay for Honey to be taken to the vet, but all we could authorize was for her to be checked out by the vet, given pain meds and kept overnight as we would explore options for a shelter or rescue to take her. Our medical fund had been depleted. LLL has not done any fundraising in the past. A generous donor gave us $500 after he was touched by the work we are doing up at the Reservation. A few days ago we authorized for a young pup Puckett to be seen by the vet. He was coughing up blood and we feared parvo. The vet in Bemidji gave us substantial discounts -- tested him for parvo, put him on IV fluid and hospitalized him overnight. Puckett bounced back the next morning (but he remained at the vet for a few days). The vet tech fell in love with Puckett and offered to foster him for two weeks until we would be able to bring him into AHS.

Puckett

Leech Lake Legacy has been extremely fortunate to have such a great partnership with AHS. They have taken in so many injured animals (including Gemini who arrived on transport this past weekend with a head injury and had surgery on Sunday). With the 107 dogs they recently took in from a hoarding case in Bemidji they are simply overwhelmed and unable to take Honey right now. In the animal rescue world, it's a balancing act ... your heart wants to save every animal but the reality of resources and constraints come into play ... last July we took in Cass from Leech Lake Reservation. He was a 7 year old dog who was surrendered by his owner and traveled 7 miles back to his home where he wasn't wanted, and brought back to the impound. We learned Cass had cancer. I pulled him from AHS and brought him to my home for 24 hours so that he could experience what being loved felt like, and after being blessed with his presence in my home, took him to my vet (Lake Harriet Vet) and held him while he crossed over rainbow bridge. My heart still aches for him but with an older dog with cancer, finding a rescue to take him wasn't possible.

And last night, Jenny and I struggled with the reality that we may have to give the okay for Honey to be euthanized. We have no money in the LLL medical fund. We haven't found a rescue or shelter able to commit to taking Honey. She's in pain from having been hit by a car and needs medical attention and most likely costly surgery.

This morning I woke up to an email from a fellow volunteer at Pet Haven. They have a possible foster, but no commitments at this point. Can I give them a couple more days? My gut screamed out at me ... I can't give up on Honey ... not yet. With no money in the LLL medical fund, Jenny and I make the decision to transport her to the cities today. Volunteer extraordinaire Nancy O is picking her up from the clinic at 8:30 and bringing her to Motley where another volunteer will pick her up and transport her into the cities. It's Valentines' Day ... I simply can't give the okay to euthanize Honey today, not when there's a door cracked open. So Honey is coming to the cities today. I will pay for her to get meds and be boarded at a hospital for a couple days. If by the end of Thursday, we haven't been able to find a rescue that can take her and provide her with the care and medical attention she needs, then I know that I may be at her side, like I was with Cass, as she crosses Rainbow Bridge.

For now, I just pray that I won't have to do that on Thursday.

Yesterday I also realized that we need to raise money for the LLL medical fund so that we can help the Pucketts and the Honeys (I'm hopeful that there will still be a happy ending to this story).

Please consider making a donation to Leech Lake Legacy's medical fund. You can write a check out to 'Leech Lake Legacy' and mail it to:

Leech Lake Legacy

P.O. Box 385454

Bloomington, MN 55438

I made the following video in memory of sweet Cass, who will forever live in my heart ...