Gretchen’s Happy Tail
December 10th, 2020
By Savannah Verdon, RedRover Development and Engagement Coordinator
“Anyone looking at Gretchen would say she’s on her last legs. Her back legs are lame, she’s in diapers, and she sleeps most of the day. But Gretchen brings so much warmth, love, and laughter into this home. When people ask me why I would choose her of all the dogs at the shelter, I get to talk about why you should open your heart and home to some old lame dog and get them off that hard shelter floor if you can. I hope I can inspire a few people to do so, and Gretchen is my way into that conversation.”
These are the invaluable bonds your support of RedRover helps to protect, keeping families together through crises and giving animals the second chances they deserve. Thanks to the support we receive from thousands of animal lovers like you to the RedRover Relief program, Gretchen and hundreds of animals in life-threatening situations receive the urgent veterinary care they need.
Back in the spring, Kennedy and her partner welcomed sweet old gal Gretchen into their home to complete their happy family. At 12 years old, they expected her to have a few quirks, so they did not think much of the way her eye would squint. Their veterinarian told them not to worry either.
But after a few months, Gretchen began to scratch at her eye until it wept blood and mucus. They were shocked to discover that her lens had fallen off and rushed her to the ER, where another veterinarian determined Gretchen had a terrible infection that had spread rapidly.
Antibiotics could help slow the infection, but her eye would need to be removed as soon as possible before it became necrotic and the infection deadly. Both Kennedy and her partner had been unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and she had only recently gone back to work. Still, she remained steadfast in her commitment to giving Gretchen a good life, so she invested inexhaustible love into raising money for her surgery.
With a RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant, made possible by supporters like you, Gretchen had her eye removed before the infection spread. Now she is resting happily on a soft, warm bed, thriving on all the treats, cuddles, and love she could ever need from a family that will cherish her forever.
You are the reason that dogs, cats, and all kinds of pets like Gretchen are still here today with their families. Thank you for helping us change the lives of animals and the people who love them!
