Critical Care Gallery (2018)
See the Animals We've Saved This Year
WE SAVED OVER 450 ANIMALS IN NEED THIS YEAR!
These Critical Care Program cases are all desperate animals that have been victims of cruelty, abuse or extreme medical neglect.
The narratives below are just a tiny fraction of the many animals rescued with our help during 2018. When you read their compelling stories and view their before-and-after photos you can see how PACC911 makes a powerful difference saving pet lives in our community. Just click on each name to reveal their special case and images.
All the rescue groups mentioned in these stories are PACC911 partners. As part of our coalition they are eligible to request these special medical care grants. To see how our Medical Relief Program works go here.
These souls were saved because someone decided to make a difference. Please get involved and support us so we can continue on with our mission. It’s so easy to do, it’s just “one click” simple! After you view our gallery, click to return to the how you can help/donate section.
Apollo - Left by owner to slowly waste away and die
Apollo’s story has touched so many hearts. Trying to describe the condition of Apollo brings tears and anger to all who have met him. This seven year old German Shepherd was picked up as a stray, and medical notes referred to him as “very old, very skinny, hair missing, strong odor.” The owner was found and said they didn’t want him back.
His story is one of resilience and the power of love. Apollo’s life hasn’t been easy; in fact his life has been horrific. We have no idea how any human being could look out their window to the back yard and see the deterioration of their dog to the emaciated and sick dog we rescued from county in April 2018.
Apollo makes headway every day. If love could will him whole again, he would have been perfect from the moment he met our volunteers! They visit him, hand feed him, walk with him, clean him when he can’t hold his bladder, bathe his sore and tender skin and provide something we know he was not getting – a loving touch. He thrives when he is hugged and loved on. We have a ways to go, but we won’t give up on Apollo and we will give him the best life we can.
Captain Jack - Stray with injured eye running in traffic
Captain Jack Sparrow was caught as a stray by good Samaritans who were trying to keep him and his mother safe from dangerous traffic. They fed them and finally were able to capture Jack, but not the mother. He was then sent to County.
Saving Paws Rescue was then asked to step in and help. We could say yes only due to help from PACC911’s Critical Care Program. As a result of these medical funds, Jack’s damaged eye was repaired.
Scared when he initially arrived he growled and bit, but he recovered quickly and learned to trust people. With the help of human volunteers, a dog that taught him to play and being reunited with his canine mom, he gained confidence and learned to do normal puppy things like chew on his bed and puppy pads, chase after toys and bark at you when he wants something you aren’t getting fast enough. We are so grateful for the support of PACC911’s Critical Care Program in helping us take care of these vulnerable animals like Jack.
Eathan – Fifteen year old stray, deaf, unsteady, 33 teeth lost
Eathan was a 15 yr old stray from MCACC West who needed dire medical intervention. With the help from a medical grant from PACC911’s Critical Care Program, AZ Pug Rescue stepped in to rescue him and provide care.
Eathan was posted on social media in case he had wandered away from a family who was looking for him. Sadly, no owner was ever found. He had an ulcer on his right eye, was partially deaf, unsteady on his feet and in serious need of a dental. Thanks to the medical grant, Ethan was able to have the much needed extensive dental surgery that resulted in the extraction of thirty-three teeth. His recovery was intense.
Happily, Ethan fully recuperated and was adopted by a wonderful older lady who truly adores him!
Farrah - A brutal life on the streets, then boom! Hit by a car
Farrah was rescued from Mexico. This gal was already living a brutal life on the streets when she was hit by a car and left to die. Fortunately a guardian angel picked her up and immediately took her to a vet.
2nd Chance Dog Rescue was tagged on an online plea for help and we immediately knew that we would do whatever it would take to bring her to Arizona and give her a 2nd Chance. Farrah made the long journey to finally arrive at her foster home where for the first time in her life she slept in a warm, clean bed.
Although many improvements were made, sadly the damage from her broken back is permanent. She will likely never walk normally again and requires pain management for the remainder of her life. PACC911’s Critical Care Program medical funds helped us to provide the care she so desperately needed. For the first time in her challenging life this sweet pup has finally had a taste of life filled with love and care.
Harold - About to be put to death from cancer, surprised everyone
Harold is a six year old tan & white American Staffie who arrived at Maricopa County Animal Care severely underweight with multiple tumors alongside dental and skin infections. A veterinary exam confirmed that the tumors were mast cell and cancerous. As a result, Harold was placed on the euthanasia list.
One Love Pit Bull Foundation wanted to New Hope Harold and reached out to PACC911’s Critical Care Program for a medical grant. With this financial help we immediately moved him into foster care and scheduled the surgical removal and testing to determine life expectancy. As a result, Harold had all the tumors removed and the testing revealed the malignancies were a very low grade two, giving him a very good prognosis.
Snatched from the jaws of death, Harold now has a chance to live a normal life and is in a loving foster home. Harold is a doll and all who meet him fall in love. PACC911’s Critical Care Program funds helped save Harold and gave him this chance at a new life.
Kimmy - Toy poodle emaciated, covered with sores, neglected beyond belief
Kimmy, a 7 year female toy poodle toy was rescued from MCACC East. A weak little girl, she weighed only four and a half pounds when she should have been at least nine pounds. She was brought into the shelter as a stray in a severely neglected condition.
Kimmy was extremely emaciated and covered with sores on her body from matted fur. She also had rotted and infected teeth.
Surrendered Souls Rescue was able to take her in with help from the medical funds provided by PACC911. This enabled her to have essential blood work, urine and fecal testing and crucial dental work that resulted in five extractions. She also had dangling, unattached dew claws (one of them was almost completely ripped off) removed from her rear legs. After this she quickly added two pounds to her weight and was strong enough to be spayed.
All this vital medical care paid off, Kimmy was adopted and now has the best life ever. We couldn’t never have done all this for her without help from the PACC911 Critical Care Program.
Ladybug- Toothless, underweight, almost blind
Lady Bug, a twelve year old Chihuahua-Rat Terrier mix came from the Pinal County Animal Control Facility. When she arrived at our Cochise Canine Rescue, she was toothless, underweight, almost blind, wobbly on her rear legs and extremely fearful. We immediately reached out to PACC911’s Critical Care Program medical funds, which came to the rescue so we could save Lady Bug.
Lady Bug had severe arthritis in her hips and problems with her spine as well. Although wobbly, anti-inflammatory medications helped her to be far more active. A special easy-to-eat diet enabled Lady Bug to gain weight.
This special dog became accepted with a small group of blind and toothless seniors who welcomed her into their pack. She overcame her initial fear to become a sweet, active loving little girl. Lady Bug fell in love with my husband who takes her out every morning to help him feed the chickens, donkeys and sheep.
Lady Bug is a sanctuary dog until we can ascertain her long term prognosis. With the help from the medical funds coming from PACC911’s Critical Care Program Lady Bug now knows love, joy and freedom from the pain that once consumed her little frail body.
Lady -Stray with cancer who found love at the end
Lady was never claimed by her owner at MCACC West. After seven days, Arizona Golden Rescue stepped in to rescue her with help from PACC911’s medical care funds that came from the Critical Care Program.
She was in such terrible shape that she had to be put into hospice care once she was with her foster family. They made Lady’s remaining days as comfortable and happy as possible. Unfortunately, Lady passed away only seven weeks after we got her. She had a great few weeks with her hospice foster family who loved her right up until she crossed the Bridge. Without PACC911’s help, she would never have known this caring tenderness that came at the end of her life.
Reggie - Hit by a car and given two hours to live
Reggie, a small, white, Chihuahua mix was rescued from Pinal County after being hit by a car. The shelter gave Reggie just two hours to find an outlet or he would be euthanized.
Reggie was picked up from the shelter by Surrendered Souls. With help from PACC911’s Critical Care funds he was taken directly to the vet. He required a life-saving procedure that released air accumulating in his body from a hole somewhere in his trachea or lungs.
A sweet little boy with a HUGE personality, Reggie was rescued, treated, healed and adopted in less than two weeks. Surrendered Souls Rescue is very grateful for our partnership with PACC911 and the Critical Care Program that saved his life.
Sunny - Abandoned and tied to a gate in deadly drug abuse area
On an unseasonably hot spring day in Arizona we received a call about a Pitbull with open sores and emaciated appearance who was tied to a gate of a food bank in an area where there is a high rate of meth abuse.
Sunny was suffering, in pain and had no hope. Luv of Dogz rescue responded immediately to pick up him and take him to our vet. Sunny had to stay there for several weeks to be treated for skin infections. He is now a fun dog with a new lease on life who never would have had a chance without the medical funds from PACC911’s Critical Care Program.