Dogs come into our lives for a reason, as guardian angels
to teach us about love, patience and perseverance. Roxy’s rescue was not planned
nor intended. Perhaps there was a reason why she came into our lives and soon,
yours too.
It was a routine visit to the fish farm to check on dogs
there. We were on our way to the farm when we spotted a male dog who looked
like he had an extremely severe case of demodex, coupled with infection and
open wounds on his entire body. The dog looked tired and malnourished. But
within a blink of an eye, we lost sight of the dog.
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| Poor dog with severe skin issues |
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| Along comes Roxy |
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| Roxy on the left, sniffing for food |
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| Roxy looked as if she has had more than 1 litter of puppies |
Volunteers then spent about an hour looking for the dog
with the bad skin. When we saw him again, he was very skittish and
wary. We tried to lure him closer with canned food but he still kept his
distance. While we were trying to feed him, the wind must have carried the
smell of the canned food a distance. Soon, a young female dog walked along the
road and came by to look for food. She was Roxy. She looked lost and it was
apparent that she had given birth recently as her nipples were dark and droopy.
Upon seeing her, we left some food for her at this deserted area and left. We
then scheduled to trap the male dog with the skin problems the following day.
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| Have you ever seen such a sad dog? |
The next day we were there early to set up the trap. A
volunteer put some food in the trap hoping to lure the dog with the skin issues.
After waiting a good half an hour, there was still no sight of the dog.
Then, out of nowhere, Roxy appeared again! She sniffed around the trap, and
within the next few minutes, she went into the trap and was caught. Although
she was not our targeted dog, we still decided to send her to the vet and have
her sterilised and released as part of our Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR)
programme. We looked around but as there was dense forestry nearby, we
could not find her puppies.
At a glance, Roxy looks like a hound-boxer cross. All our
volunteers who have met Roxy shared one common conclusion; she was the saddest,
most depressed dog they had ever met. One could literally feel
her sadness just by looking at her sweet face. And her sadness
is so deep that we think it might take a lot of love and patience to make her
smile again. But that day will come, and all our efforts would be worthwhile.
Her deep, soulful eyes tell us of her hardship living on a
deserted plot of land, surrounded by dense forest, where food is scarce, and
human contact more so. She lived a sad, lonely life, trying her best to fend
for herself and her babies. No one knew of her existence. No one cared if she
lived or died. She had nothing.
Roxy was scrawny. Her body structure revealed that she had
probably not had a decent meal in weeks. Her ribs were protruding, and her
teats were drooping. She seemed malnourished and despite her young age, looked
tired. Had we not accidentally caught her, she may have had to continue living
this miserable existence for the next 10 years, if she actually survives that
long.
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| At the vet, sad, scared and worried |
At the vet, there was more news to add to her sadness. The
vet estimated her to be about 2 years old and said her blood count was low. She
was diagnosed with Babesia Gibsoni which is a strain of tick fever and perhaps that was
one of the contributing factors to her scrawny frame and tiredness. Because of
this, Roxy could not be sterilized.
She is currently undergoing treatment and it would take a
few months to clear the Babesia parasites. It may also not clear completely,
depending on Roxy's immune system. Thus, she would need a blood test in a
month’s time. Sterilization or any surgery at this point in time is not
possible as it would put Roxy’s life at risk.
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| Terrified of everything. Poor Roxy |
Roxy
didn't have a caregiver where she was found. In fact, there were hardly any
humans in that vicinity. It is a deserted place where street dogs like Roxy can
only hope to find enough leftover food to survive. As a small rescue group,
funds are often limited. Roxy’s sad eyes pleaded with us not to put her back
where she came from. As we could not bear to break her heart, we decided to
take her in and rehome her. Like with the many dogs we have rescued, we hope to
find Roxy a family that will welcome Roxy into their family with open arms.
There
is always a reason why a certain rescue story grabs your attention or touches
your heart, isn’t it? Will you be the one to adopt Roxy, regardless of her lack
of pedigree? Will you give her the chance to spend the next 10-15 years in the
security and warmth of a home, and treat her with the love and respect that all
dogs deserve?
Roxy
awaits that chance. If you are able to help with Roxy’s vet bills for her
Babesia treatment, foster, or even better, provide Roxy with a permanent home
filled with many hugs, love and kisses, please contact us at hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg.
Written by Lisa G.
