Bixby's sad tale & the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter's hope for his happy ending

This past week one of the animal control officers from Vineland walked in with a small dog that, somewhere underneath all the built up grime and mats, was supposed to be white and fluffy. I was out of the building when he arrived but received a call asking if I knew of any groomers that could handle an emergency.

I immediately returned to the shelter to check out the little guy and see what could be done. It’s hard enough to get a spur of the moment grooming appointment, but as soon as I saw him, I knew it was going to be an hours long job making the possibility of finding one even harder.

In my many years here, I, myself have shaved down many matted dogs; but I had never seen anything like “Bixby.” The fur on his legs and paws had built up for so long that it had become hardened and actually felt like he had casts on all four.

One leg and paw was so bad that it was completely encapsulated from the shoulder down. He had a racquetball-sized gob of black, hardened wax and infection residue stuck under his right ear. You could hardly see his eyes behind the mats and detritus covering his face and snout. His ears alone had to be incredibly painful and there was no doubt that he would have to be sedated in order to shave him down.

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Once we got him sedated and began to really examine his condition, it became clear that he had some serious infections going on underneath all of that mess. His one ear was so bad under the ball of hardened discharge that it was raw and some of the ear tissue had been eaten away since the infection had gone untreated for so long.

Signs of further infection on his legs and paws began to emerge as we made hard fought progress removing the matted ‘casts’ on his legs. It became clear that the job was too extensive and the infections too severe; he would have to be moved to a veterinary clinic to safely cut through the mats, debride the necrotic tissue and treat the infections.

Bixby is finally free of all the horrific mats and the awful buildup from the infections. He’s an older gentleman that will need some serious TLC to help him recover from what had to have been years of neglect.

We will be looking for a foster home, adopter or rescue that would be willing to take him in and give him the care and love that he is so severely in need of.

For information on Bixby, contact the shelter at adoptions@sjras.org.

Shelter needs: Canned dog and cat food, canned tuna and sardines, cat nip, soft dog treats, peanut butter, cheese singles, paper towels, and gift cards for pet supply and grocery outlets.

Shelter event: SJRAS and People for Animals will present a TNVR Community Workshop at 3 p.m. May 14 to share the value of “Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return” programs and teach caregivers and concerned community members how to be part of the solution to the outdoor community/feral cat population problem.

Attendees will not only learn about trapping and caring for community cats, they will also learn about the services offered by SJRAS and PFA to assist with these efforts.

For information, visit www.facebook.com/SJRASVineland.

Shelter address: 1244 N. Delsea Drive in Vineland.

For information about fostering, visit https://southjerseyregionalanimalshelter.org/volunteer_main/foster.

To submit an adoption form for one of the Pets of the Week or another animal at the shelter, visit https://southjerseyregionalanimalshelter.org/forms/adoption-questionnaire.

To volunteer, email the volunteer coordinator at volunteers@sjras.org.

For SJRAS information, call (856) 691-1500 or visit southjerseyregionalanimalshelter.org or SJRASVineland on Facebook.

DOGS

Bixby is an 8-year-old, male poodle mix. See today’s article for more information about this darling boy.

Titis is a very nice, 5-year-old pit bull terrier. He is an easy-going guy, who walks nicely on a leash and is smart and attentive.

Ricardo is a friendly, happy 1-year-old Siberian Husky. This handsome boy is waiting and hoping for a forever home.

Magnum is a bouncy, happy 1-year-old pit who has plenty of energy. He knows sit and is very treat oriented, which will help with his training. He is young and will need someone that can spend time with him, teaching him basic doggy manners. Right now, he jumps up on people and gets very excited, so he is not a good match for a home with young children.

Layla is a darling, 2-year-old pit mix. She is smart and fun and super friendly. This little girl loves attention!

Howard is a large, 83-pound, pit and Great Dane mix. He is a quiet boy, cautious in nature and slow to warm up. Once Howard relaxes and gets to know you, he is a sweet dog with plenty of love to give.

Spartan is a friendly, 4-year-old pit bull terrier. He is a nice boy that will make someone a great companion.

CATS

Meet Greta! Greta's human passed away so now she finds herself at the shelter. This beautiful 3-year-old has lived with other cats and dogs without issue in the past and is looking for her new humans.

Meet two amazing kitties, Bailey and Patches, 2-year-old best friends, who are inseparable. These two have found themselves at the shelter because their human could no longer care for them. They would love to be adopted together. What’s better than one cat? Two cats!

Pretty Matilda wonders why she’s at the shelter, wouldn’t you love to take her home with you?

When you tell your family you are going to pick up a flower and you come home with a pretty, young girl named Hyacinth.

Morris is a shy boy who loves head scratches and treats. He’s at the Millville PetSmart.

Kona is the most laidback senior guy you will meet. He is extremely affectionate and will follow you anywhere. He spent time in a foster home and is good with cats, dogs and kids.

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This article originally appeared on Vineland Daily Journal: Bixby’s sad tale and the SJRAS’s hope for his happy ending