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Local News: Deaf boxer dogs animal shelter’s budget | fox, shelter, maggie : TheTelegraph
The recent rescue of a deaf white, 6-month-old boxer puppy has the Riverbend Humane Society in need of financial help.
Maggie, or so she is called, was rescued around three weeks ago after she was spotted running free in a field miles from the shelter by area mail carriers, said Melissa Fox, a volunteer and board member with the society.
She was starving and skinny and apparently had gotten hold of something that was poisoning her, Fox said. On top of that, rescuers discovered that she was born deaf, a genetic abnormality of her breed.
"I would say she's probably one of the worst ones we've found health wise. Once she got to the shelter she refused to eat," Fox said. "She was very, very thin. She was kind of almost lifeless. Her tongue ended up swelling up - that was when we knew there was something wrong. She was in pretty poor shape."
Rescuers proceeded to take her to a local veterinarian to be nursed back to health in an intensive care unit. Three days later, the organization was stuck with an $800 bill.
The costs are piling up - the shelter has already had to purchase a collar that gently vibrates when she's called (not a shock collar), which cost $300, and once she's well, the shelter will have to have her vaccinated, Fox said.
Since the shelter runs off private donations, rescues like Maggie's are especially hard.
Those willing to donate toward the cause can contact the Riverbend Humane Society at (618) 498-7299 or attend their upcoming fund-raiser, a wine tasting and adopt-a-thon from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Thymes Past in Alton.
There will be a suggested donation of $25 for the wine tasting, but people are free to come and look at/adopt the pets, who will be outside on the lawn, at no charge (except the regular adoption fee).
"No one has claimed her or even been looking for her, so we know she's not someone's pet that's been lost," Fox said of Maggie.
Maggie is doing well now, though she is not up for adoption at this point, Fox said.
"Until we can get her a little bit trained," Fox said. "I'm going to be taking her to some classes to help her learn."
Fox explained that Maggie will need special training to learn how to read hand signals, almost like human sign language. The good news is, she's making progress.
"I had her at my house over the weekend to socialize her with other dogs. She's playing, eating, running, just like a normal puppy," she said.
The recent rescue of a deaf white, 6-month-old boxer puppy has the Riverbend Humane Society in need of financial help.
Maggie, or so she is called, was rescued around three weeks ago after she was spotted running free in a field miles from the shelter by area mail carriers, said Melissa Fox, a volunteer and board member with the society.
She was starving and skinny and apparently had gotten hold of something that was poisoning her, Fox said. On top of that, rescuers discovered that she was born deaf, a genetic abnormality of her breed.
"I would say she's probably one of the worst ones we've found health wise. Once she got to the shelter she refused to eat," Fox said. "She was very, very thin. She was kind of almost lifeless. Her tongue ended up swelling up - that was when we knew there was something wrong. She was in pretty poor shape."
Rescuers proceeded to take her to a local veterinarian to be nursed back to health in an intensive care unit. Three days later, the organization was stuck with an $800 bill.
The costs are piling up - the shelter has already had to purchase a collar that gently vibrates when she's called (not a shock collar), which cost $300, and once she's well, the shelter will have to have her vaccinated, Fox said.
Since the shelter runs off private donations, rescues like Maggie's are especially hard.
Those willing to donate toward the cause can contact the Riverbend Humane Society at (618) 498-7299 or attend their upcoming fund-raiser, a wine tasting and adopt-a-thon from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Thymes Past in Alton.
There will be a suggested donation of $25 for the wine tasting, but people are free to come and look at/adopt the pets, who will be outside on the lawn, at no charge (except the regular adoption fee).
"No one has claimed her or even been looking for her, so we know she's not someone's pet that's been lost," Fox said of Maggie.
Maggie is doing well now, though she is not up for adoption at this point, Fox said.
"Until we can get her a little bit trained," Fox said. "I'm going to be taking her to some classes to help her learn."
Fox explained that Maggie will need special training to learn how to read hand signals, almost like human sign language. The good news is, she's making progress.
"I had her at my house over the weekend to socialize her with other dogs. She's playing, eating, running, just like a normal puppy," she said.
