The factory workers had told us that she was hit by a lorry, and as she got up to run back to her factory, the rear wheels of the lorry rolled over her body, breaking her spine. She never ever got up after that. As she lay in the middle of the road, workers had rushed to the scene to carry her back to the factory. HOPE was called, and we rushed her to A&E.
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| Sida and her best friend in the whole wide world, Yonghyurt, her factory caregiver, who visited her at the foster home last weekend |
We took her to 3 different vet clinics and all the doctors, including specialists, had advised us to put her down. None of the vets were even keen to consider a surgery for her. Maybe it's partly because she is just a stray. Bet they didn't know these street dogs mean the world to us. We love them as much as we love our own pets at home.
We had exhausted all possible avenues, but prompt treatment was critical if Sida was to have any chance of recovery. Our regular vet, Dr. Ly, was out of town and when he finally returned to Singapore and saw Sida, it had been 3 weeks. He and his team of staff were deeply saddened by Sida's situation. He said that, ideally, she should have been operated on within 48 hours of the accident. It has been 3 weeks. We told him we had desperately sought help, taking her to many vets but all of them had told us there was no hope. Putting an animal down is never an option, unless they are so badly hurt that they could barely pull. But Sida is no different from Matthieu or baby Harper. No doubt her injury is a lot more serious, and she is bigger and more difficult to maneuver, but her well-being is no less important than any other dog's.
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| Sida's entourage waiting to see Dr. Ly |
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| Sida is kept in her giant carrier to minimize movement and she is in a room by herself |
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| Pillows to line the side of Sida's carrier so she wouldn't hurt herself |
Dr. Ly had said that the cost of the spine surgery is estimated at $7,000. That is a lot of money, especially for a surgery that doesn't guarantee recovery. She may get slightly better or her condition might remain the same. Even Dr. Ly said that we could save a lot more dogs with the money. Then again, how do we weigh who deserves to be treated more than the other? Would we rather save the $7,000 and watch Sida's spirit and health wear away slowly?
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| Sida and Yongyurt, friends forever |
We had seen her fall deep into depression where she had starved herself for 8 days before slowly coming out of it. We had fetched her best friend and caregiver, Yongyurt, to visit her as often as his schedule allowed, we accompanied her as much as we could, playing music for her, talking to her, massaging her and showing her how much she meant to us. We watched her come out of depression and start to drink water. And then she started eating again. She even pooped. Her spirits lifted and she became rather happy again. All that was missing was the wag of her tail, something she will never be able to do after the accident.
We decided to proceed with the surgery, despite the high cost. We won’t know till we try. It just means we have to work even harder than ever, for the dogs. Sell more calendars, cut down on supplements for our other rescue dogs. We will get through this and so will Sida!
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| Buy our HOPE 2014 calendars and help us pay our vet bills |
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| Val and Sida |
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| Another of Sida's helpers |
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| Sida looking bright and hopeful |
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| Warded immediately for the spinal surgery |
Dr. Lee will be conducting the surgical procedure and Dr. Ly had advised us that they would be using PRP therapy (Platelet Rich Plasma) to stimulate and enhance healing. We hope that with this surgery, she will have a better quality of life. However, after the surgery, Sida may need to wear a body cast to support her spine and minimize movement. Our volunteers will be visiting her daily in the hospital to check on her condition and we will keep you updated.
It warms our heart to see just how happy she is every time she sees her caregiver, Yongyurt, from the factory where she lived. We know deep down that Sida remains hopeful that life will get better, so we will keep creating hope for her.
Please keep Sida in your prayers as she undergoes the surgery today. Let's hope the surgery will be a success.
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| Sida enjoying some sun and fresh air at her foster home |
Thank you all for your support and a special thank you to Sida's foster for your kindness and patience.
Please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg if you wish to contribute to Sida's medical fees. Please allow us some time to reply to your emails. Our volunteers do hold full time jobs. Thank you for your kind understanding.
