Alexis -- more information

I've been informed that the position of GRIN is that Alexis was euthanized not for incontinence, but for pain. I'd like to point out that the email and phone call I received stating that she was euthanized did not mention pain at all. They discussed the incontinence at length, mentioned the amount of displacement of the spine, and said she could not feel anything in her hind end. "The only nerves functioning below the fracture are those on the big toe" was how it was presented to me. This was consistent with what we all expected to hear, given her lack of mobility.

So whether or not Alexis was actually in pain despite having no feeling in her hind end, I don't know. I'm sure it is possible that she had pain at the site of the injury and no feeling below that spot, and that this was not communicated to me. I intend to contact the vet and see if I am able to get this information for myself.

If she was in fact in pain then of course that is a more humane reason to have euthanized her, but I still maintain that as Ashtabula Animal Advocates was assisting GRIN in fundraising for her care we should have had a voice in the decision. If we were able to speak to the vet, or at least see the reports, before the decision was made, it is possible that we would have made the same decision, and this whole issue could have been avoided. And if it is in fact the case that, as I was told, her issues were incontinence and a lack of mobility, then I know of plenty of people who would have gladly cared for the dog.

Thanks again to everyone who loved Alexis, regardless of your position on this issue.

Dawn

Alexis

I just received an update on Alexis. The rescue in whose care she was placed decided to euthanize her due to incontinence. It is important to me to note that neither the APL nor I were consulted on this decision. It is emphatically *not* the decision I would have made. In fact I had a number of other people interested in Alexis who would have gladly taken on the responsibility of caring for her. I am devastated by this loss.

Most of the donations that were received went to cover the cost of the initial x-rays, which were significantly more than we expected. If you made a donation and would like it returned out of the small amount that is left, please contact me. Otherwise I will use the remaining funds for medical treatment for the APL dog in next greatest need, who at this point would be Brutus.

Thank you all for caring so much about this special girl. I'm so sorry to have to give you this news.

Dawn

Foster homes needed!

The APL is in need of foster homes for special dogs. In most cases these would be dogs with medical needs that would be best treated outside of the shelter environment. In some other cases they may be dogs that require some behavior modification in order to be more adoptable. If you're interested in helping please contact Dawn at ashtabulaanimaladvocates@gmail.com

Update on Alexis

Thanks everyone for your patience...busy day caring for sick bunnies. Anyway, good news on Alexis. Not *great* news, but definitely not the news we dreaded to hear. She has a broken vertebrae in her lower back. Surgery would not correct this, apparently that surgery would have needed to be done within hours of the injury. The good news though is that the vet believes she might actually recover without surgery. (I actually have a bunny who had a similar injury, though obviously not from being hit by a car, and she has in fact regained most of her mobility....)

I don't have many details yet & I apologize for that, but basically it sounds like she will never be 100% again, but may gradually regain the use of her hind end. She will definitely have to have her tail amputated and may remain incontinent. The woman who came to the shelter to meet Alexis yesterday, who bathed her and donated to her care, is a volunteer for GRIN. She has talked the Board of Directors of GRIN into taking Alexis into their care. I'm still awaiting details, but it sounds like she will be going to their vet tomorrow for possible tail amputation and I'm not sure what else.

I will post more as I know it, and GRIN will have to take over once she's in their care. Thanks so much to everyone who donated, crossposted, and sent lots of good thoughts. She wouldn't still be alive, with a hopefully bright future, without *all* of your help!

Dawn

Alexis -- she needs donations *tonight*

Alexis is a beautiful female Golden Retriever in grave need at the Ashtabula County APL. She was found injured on the side of the road. Her back may be broken, but we are hoping she only(!) has a fractured pelvis. She needs x-rays tomorrow to find out for sure. Without x-rays she will have to be euthanized, since a broken back cannot be treated at the shelter.












X-rays can be done at a local vet for approximately $120 dollars. A generous sponsor (who also gave Alexis a sponge bath...see pictures) will pay for half of the x-rays if we can raise money for the other half. Please, if you can spare even a couple dollars, send it along to ashtabulaanimaladvocates@gmail.com ( gmail.com ), or use this donation button:

We need to raise *at least* $60 so that Alexis can have her x-rays in the morning and have a chance at treatment. If she is treatable, of course that will cost money too, so anything we can raise is so helpful.











thanks,
Dawn

desperate straits :(

It's been something of a perfect storm this week at the APL. Their computer system went down at the same time they got completely bombarded with dogs...36 in 3 days, and they were already over full before that happened! Since they update Petfinder directly from their intake software they can't update their Petfinder listings so it is hard to find rescues.

This is the first time that the APL has been this full since they went to a euth-for-space policy last fall. Every cage except for the one housing 130lb Rugger has at least two dogs in it. Dogs *will* die if we can't get them out.

Please, if you are a rescue within driving distance of the Ashtabula APL and you have *any* room, consider making a trip to see if they have any dogs you can help. The staff vet is there today and they are getting health certificates ready for dogs who might be good candidates for rescue.

Many of the dogs listed on PF *are* still at the shelter, they just can't add new dogs at this time. Please contact me at ashtabulaanimaladvocates@gmail.com if you have questions about any animal listed (other than the pups...they are in foster care) or if you'd like to inquire if your breed is there. If I don't know the answer I will find out.

Also, if you are in the NE Ohio area and would like to spend some time at the shelter meeting some of the newer animals & taking their pictures so that I can manually update Petfinder, please contact me!

Please do keep an eye and help if you're able. The shelter's PF site is at http://ashtabulaapl.petfinder.org

Thanks,
Dawn