We took Lucy from the West LA shelter yesterday. She is a wonderful, gentle staffy/boxer mix who has some health issues that we are looking into. Thanks to the generosity of the folks who rescued her, she will receive great care. If you are interested in fostering Lucy and helping her recuperate from her long journey. We are looking for a home with no other dogs because although she is very friendly, she needs rest and quiet. Contact us at foster@muchlove.org for more information.
Here is Lucy’s story as told by her rescuers:
The dog came to our notice on 3/20 that she was in the flood control channel, when we heard her howl at night, looking for her owners and a way out. She relentlessly ran back and forth in the channels for 3-4 days without a whimper. We were unable to leash her to safety, but during two attempts, although she seemed scared for her life, never growled or showed any aggression. The Mar Vista community pulled together. Jay and Nick, brothers in the area, went down in the channel and finally blanketed and saved the dog. Once being placed gently in the trap the animal shelter had provided, the consoled dog ate from the Jay’s hand and allowed him to touch her teeth. Through these challenging 3-4 days before being taken into the shelter, she was a dignified, graceful and very loving dog.
The WLA Animal Shelter identified her as a spayed female, 44 lbs, a bull terrier mix. Most visible injury is the 2-3 inch open would on her left upper thigh/hip area, which the shelter could not treat (other than a megadose of antibiotics and pain meds) due to lack of best outcome possibilities at the shelter, and the high cost of surgery. The shelter also treated her for a severe case of tapeworms in the first week, which Christine, the vet’s assistant said was easily curable. She has cysts/tumors on her body, which have not yet been diagnosed.
She was in complete isolation and desolation during the 7 days holding period at the Shelter. The dog, who had run a rigorous marathon in the channels just a week earlier seemed to have lost her spirit as she hid in her bed corner in the concrete cell. She had not received any people or animal contact, other than when the shelter personnel treated her medically or fed her. She was never walked during her 12 day stay at the shelter. It was not possible to socialize her due to the injury on her thigh and she remained in isolation until 4/3/13 when MUCH LOVE RESCUE pulled her from the shelter and directly to a hospital to receive the much needed medical care/surgery for her wound.