Resolving to Remember Nicole
New Year seems to be a time of hope and promise. We all hope that it will be a better year than last and we all promise or make resolutions to try to do better. The first week of January was that kind of week for Diamonds in the Ruff volunteers. Puppies were pulled from ditches, neglected and starving dogs got a full belly and a makeover, abandoned dogs were removed from their chains for the first… time in ages, and broken bones were set on a path to recovery. It seemed that all challenges were being met, and then came a dose of reality. Her name was Nicole. She was found laying in a field next to a fence way out in the country. She was emaciated and could not walk. She was coughing and having trouble breathing. Volunteers sought immediate medical care, but with a sky high white count, possible rat poisoning, and advanced heartworm disease to the point that some of the worms broke off and had gone to her lungs, there was no way to save Nicole. She died shortly after arriving at the vet’s. The only silver lining in any of this is that Nicole did not die cold and alone in that field. While we had high hopes for this sweet girl, her death will only strengthen our resolve to do better in 2017. Please join us in promising to do better for the dogs and cats in NW TN by resolving to:
*Spay and Neuter. *Keep your pets safe in a fenced yard or on a leash. *Make sure your pet has ID or, better yet, a microchip. *Keep your pets inside as part of your family, especially in cold weather. *Keep your pets vaccinated and on monthly heartworm and flea prevention. *Volunteer, donate, transport or foster for a local rescue. *Adopt. Don’t shop. *Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.