“She brings such joy” – Sassenach’s Happy Tail
December 5th, 2024
By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager –
It had been two years since her last dog passed away, and Sarah was ready to open up her heart and home once again. Six-year-old Husky Sassenach, aka Sassy, fit in all too well.
“I can’t have kids, so my pets are my children. I take my dog on road trips, hiking, and camping – things I wouldn’t do alone – so she offers me a freedom and life I wouldn’t have without her. Every other photo on my phone is of her. I am extremely attached to my dogs when I have one, and Sassy is no different.
“She and my 5-year-old nephew are best friends. Enzo has really only met dogs who are elderly and don’t play or have no training or manners, so other than my last dog he’s never known a sweet, happy dog who will play with him on his level. They are inseparable when he is over every week.
“She is an amazing dog. Sassy has never met a stranger and ‘awooooo’ greets everyone she meets. She gets along with cats, kids, our Sulcata tortoise (she runs to alert us if she finds him on his back when she goes out to go potty) and other dogs, loves car rides and gets very excited when she hears her leash come out. She loves the wading pool, especially when we fill it with ice, and eats all kinds of fruit and veggie snacks. I currently have four-week-old foster kittens and Sassenach adores them! She licks and flea bites them, play bows, and lies on the floor so they can all play together.”
Sassy had small wounds on her lower back when Sarah adopted her from the shelter. Her previous owner had said nothing about any injuries, and shelter staff only found them days later when drainage from the wounds had matted her beautiful fur. She was put on antibiotics and expected to heal quickly, but a full week after adopting her, Sarah noticed nothing had changed; the swelling was worse, in fact. It would be two months before they figured out the full extent of the injury.
After different antibiotics, diagnostics, x-rays, and exploratory surgery, it was determined that Sassy had been shot with a pellet gun, and a bullet was lodged in her lower back. Its constant presence caused her body to keep the wounds open and draining to flush it out, but it wasn’t going to succeed on its own, and now she was infected with two different strains of staph. She would need to see a specialist for surgery to remove the pellet, debride the skin, muscle, and tissues underneath, and place a drain. Without surgery, the infection would continue to rage and her pain would worsen, making euthanasia possibly the most compassionate choice. Sarah knew Sassy had already been failed by people at least once; she wasn’t going to do the same.
While all that was happening, Sarah underwent an emergency surgery of her own, going nearly three weeks without any income. She had no money to speak of to save Sassy but still, she was undeterred. Encouraged by the generosity of her friends and family who contributed to her fundraiser, she searched online for other kinds of help for her Sassy girl and found the RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant program. Her application showed that, for only having her two months, Sarah loved Sassenach like family.
“My mom has a 16-year-old lab mix who had been depressed, refusing to go potty outside in the dark, eating much less, and peeing and pooping in the house since my dog passed away two years ago. Since Sassy came, Happy has been much more herself again, and even runs in the yard with her! There is not a single being in the home who has not benefitted from having Sassenach here (well, one cat might disagree with that). She brings such joy and positivity to us all.”
“There are no words for the sorrow and anxiety I feel, knowing I WANT to help my girl, but that I CAN’T only because of money. I am desperate to get her the care she needs so she can live the happy, healthy life she deserves!”
It was a complicated surgery for a complicated injury, but Sassy, loopy though she was, woke up without pain for the first time in months. Just two weeks later, her two drains were removed and the veterinarian noted no new swelling or concerning signs. Sarah was thrilled to meet the dog Sassy was always meant to be.
“She is clearly feeling so much better as she has been her usual energetic, mischievous self again, getting the zoomies every day. The staples are still in, so we are careful to keep her activity to a minimum, but we are all very excited for the day she’ll be able to do all the running and playing she wants! Thank you for your help in getting us here!”
Of all the amazing things your recurring support can do for families like Sarah and Sassy, a return to zoomies might just be the best! Thank you for all the second chances and happy, healthy lives you made possible in 2024! We look forward to the FurEver Friends’ Happy Tails of 2025!
