Supporting PAWS of CT.

One night last April, eight adorable eight-week-old pups were transferred to the shelter where I volunteer. One tall, incredibly thin pup caught my eye. He was obviously not getting food during the feeding frenzies! This guy was thin – really just skin draped over bones. He had big, brown eyes, a wrinkly forehead, and legs like a giraffe. Over the next few days, the puppies started showing signs of illness. The Giraffe and a few others had upper respiratory tract infections. We separated these few from the rest and set them up in the medical room to more closely monitor them. Temps were up; they weren’t eating or drinking. We started them on IV fluids and force feedings. It was so sad to see such tiny puppies fighting for their lives! I went to the shelter every night after work to help the staff care for these precious pups. But it wasn’t enough. Giraffe and the others had to be hospitalized for 24-hour care. They needed constant IV fluids and supplemental nutrition. The vet was frank: she didn’t expect Giraffe to survive. My heart was breaking. Somehow, this fellow had me wrapped around his little paw! It was touch-and-go, but somehow Giraffe survived. I came to the realization that I couldn’t part with this pup and by the end of May he joined my canine crew. He’s now just a year old, still tall and lean, and his name is Oliver. He follows me everywhere and loves playing with his canine sister, Charlie. I treasure all the goofy and silly things he does every day. And yes, he’s still capturing the hearts of everyone he meets!