More Kingston Community Animal Welfare Rescues Made Possible Thanks to AKI Donors

Since mid-September, KCAW has made some dramatic and lifesaving rescues, all made possible thanks to AKI donors! Here are some of their stories.

Little, a little pup with a big burden: In mid-December, Deborah received a call about a little puppy running around a market. Or at least, trying to run. He had quite a heavy burden for such a little guy. Deborah caught him and brought Little to the vet, where the diagnosis was: infected salivary gland. The vet and Deborah discussed surgery, the high risk involved, the high probability that the infection would re-occur, and decided that the most humane route was to euthanize Little. We're grateful that Little no longer carries this burden.

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Also in mid-December, during Deborah's regular feeding route, she saw a dog, obviously owned, but dumped, chased out of his yard because he was injured and the owner couldn't be bothered. Because the injury hadn't been treated, maggots had infested the wound. Deborah caught him (which was not easy) and took him to the vet (thank you Animal House for your help), and then brought him back to her (newly refurbished kennels-thanks to an AKI donor), so he can be re-homed with a caring family.

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This story is best heard directly from Deborah: One of my regulars that I have been feeding for over 8 years. Another ‘ boy’. No name. Even though he never allowed me to touch him for too long without pulling away, on this occasion, last week (13 December) when I saw him lying on the roadside, he tried to get up and come to me. I knew instantly that he was in trouble, and I had not seen him for a few days so was not surprised to see him in distress as he always waited for me on the side of the road. He collapsed when he made a few steps. On getting closer I saw his penis was riddled with maggots and the infection had reached his blood stream. He was so weak he didn’t resist when I lifted him into the car. I removed the tie around his mouth as I knew he wasn’t going to have the strength to bite.

Deborah fed Boy, a street dog, for 8 years

I took him to the vet and while we waited he drank 2 pans of water which told me he was waiting in the sun for a long time hoping to see me. I took the opportunity I never had in the many years I knew him to rub his ears and scratch his head. He never resisted. When they called us in they did not give us good news, and I knew he knew. He was old too, well over 10 years, which is pretty good for a street dog. He was infested with heartworms and the penis was beyond saving. And he was tired, I could tell.

I used the 5 minutes we had waiting for them to get the injection to hold his paw and tell him it was ok, that he did good and he would never want for anything ever again in doggie heaven. I hugged him while they put him to sleep and even though I tried my best I couldn’t stop the tears and the sobbing. I usually do a good job but this time all the memories of him came flooding back and the thought of never seeing him again sitting on the sidewalk wagging his tail was just too much.

When I was driving back to work (and still sobbing) I was thinking why I was so emotional and I knew it was because when I finally got to hug him and show him love was in his final moments on earth. I found that really sad. Miss you boy.

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And that's not all that mid-December brought to KCAW. Another story directly from Deborah: This has happened before, much to my chagrin. 3 am, fast asleep and jolted out of my sleep by the all too familiar screams of a dog being attacked. Some dog is on heat in the area and a pack of dogs have been roaming around with her. People just don't bother to keep their dogs gated. So I look out my window and witness a poor dog on his back being ripped apart. One dog held his leg, another had him by the throat. I knew I only had a few seconds before they killed him. Down the stairs I ran, skipping two at a time and risking breaking my own neck but at the time all I could think of was getting outside as fast as possible. I ran across the lawn barefooted. I screamed at the pack of dogs and had to use stones to (gently) throw at them. They let him go and he limped into the bushes. There was a bright red trail of blood leading to where he was laying so though it was dark I could easily see him. He was lying in a pool of blood. I took him inside and patched him up until day break and rushed him to the vet the next day.

Dog mauled by other dogs, on the way to the vet

The vet stitched him up and I now have him in my kennel recuperating.

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Also in mid-December, Deborah drove past this poor mummy dog obviously struggling to feed her babies and Deborah ad to stop to feed her. Now she's on Deborah's regular feeding rounds and mama dog waits for Deborah to arrive! Deborah's been watching for them, but still hasn't seen the pups. She's on the list to be spayed.

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Deborah seems to attract mummy dogs. This one, Deborah saw in October, and stopped to feed her. Now she's a regular, and another one who is on the spay list (so many dogs and cats need to be spayed, funds are the constraint, sometimes trying to catch these dogs is also a huge challenge).

A pregnant dog (Oct) now getting regular feedings

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In early November, one of Deborah's regulars that she feeds on her way to work in the mornings, was hit by a speeding car! The sight was horrifying. She was bleeding from several open wounds and they were infested with maggots. She was in so much pain she wouldn't even take the food that Deborah offered. Deborah got her leash and collar to get her into the car, but then she disappeared! Deborah searched for her, no luck. Went back that evening (this was near the bus terminus) and searched again, nothing. Then, on the third search late in the evening when it was almost dark- she came running. This time she allowed Deborah to leash her and put her in her car. Deborah dressed her wounds, but realized she needed suturing. She took her to the vet the next morning. And before going back to her home by the bus terminus (2nd picture below), she fully recovered at KCAW's kennels.

Dog hit by a speeding car, back at home by the bus terminus

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In late October, Deborah saw this little girl scrounging for food on the side of the road. She almost got run over, she was so tiny. Deborah stopped her car and directed traffic away from the pup. Poor little girl was so full of ticks and fleas. Deborah named her Tinkerbell.

Tinkerbell, rescued from the side of a busy street

Tinkerbell was so hungry that she tried to eat a banana skin in Deborah's car.

Tinkerbell was so hungry she tried to eat a banana skin

At her 1st opportunity, Deborah pulled over and gave Tinkerbell some food.

Tinkerbell was then fostered by a friend of Deborah's before going to a permanent home!

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And in early September, another starving mama dog crossed Deborah's path. She ate her fill and left-sometimes Deborah is able to follow up with these street dogs, get them spayed, and add them to her regular feeding routes, sometimes she doesn't see them again. At least she got a good meal.

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You may remember Ella from March 2017: Deborah saw her while on her Saturday rescue/feeding rounds. She was limping and when Deborah picked her, she realized a part of her paw was missing! It turned out that her paw was almost all eaten away! Deborah got her into the car, and she was starving. So Deborah rushed her to the vet and left her there for a few days to recover. She had lost a lot of blood, her gums were white! She had surgery to save as much of her paw as possible. The vet didn't seem to think she had to amputate. They de-brided the wound and folded over the skin to create a stump she could put on the ground. Deborah named her Ella, after the road she was found on, Elleston Road.

It turned out that Ella did end up needing an amputation and had the surgery at the end of November. But she has a permanent home at KCAW's shelter since it's unlikely she'd get adopted in Jamaica.

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Lavern is a homeless lady who loves animals. She's one of many people around Kingston who alerts Deborah to any animal in need of help. Lavern lives on a sidewalk near Deborah's office in downtown Kingston. She exists on handouts from people working in the many downtown offices and is battling a chronic foot problem. Because of Lavern, dozens of kittens and pups thrown in the harbour have been rescued-she calls Deborah right away, and Deborah rushes over to fish them out. She's adopted a little kitten who lives with her on her sidewalk. Deborah gives her cat food and and flea powder which she says she appreciates the most as now she can sleep instead of scratching all night!