Fayetteville Animal Protection Society: Emergency Medical Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

A cocker spaniel named Sadie's double total ear-canal ablation surgery

When owners don't seek veterinary care for ear infections (especially with spaniels), the ears can become permanently damaged. It's extremely painful for the dog and requires an expensive and intense surgery to remove the infected ear canals.

How many pets did this grant help?

One: Sadie

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

At only 5 years old, little Sadie knew nothing but neglect. Someone likely bought her as a cute puppy and had not done any research on the needs of cocker spaniels, judging by the condition of her ears. Sadie’s owners were moving to Germany and instead of the life she had known with her family, she was dumped at Cumberland County Animal Control (a local [open-admission] shelter), not knowing where she was or what she did wrong. We had saved her on April 18, 2017, and discovered shortly afterward that her ears caused her an immense amount of pain. Poor Sadie needed a total ear-canal ablation (TECA) in both ears. When owners don’t seek veterinary care for ear infections (especially with spaniels), the ears can become permanently damaged. It’s extremely painful for the dog and requires an expensive and intense surgery to remove the infected ear canals.

One issue with our being a private, nonprofit, no-kill animal shelter is that we receive no government or state funding, but we couldn’t turn away poor Sadie. Even with the daily pain she was suffering, she is a sweet, affectionate pup who wants nothing more than to cuddle in your lap. The Petfinder Foundation stepped in and through their Emergency Medical Grant and support from our community, Sadie received the surgery she so desperately needed and deserved. We are so proud to say that she now is in her forever home, never having to wonder again if she’s loved.