Rescued pup on the mend -- but needs a helping paw
Jan. 30—A special pup is getting the help it needs after apparently being neglected, and in turn the Somerset-Pulaski County Humane Society is asking the public for help covering her medical bills.
Alexis is a lab/Australian Heeler mix that appears to be 2 to 3 years old.
As Humane Society volunteer Marguerite Arnold explained, a dog that size should be around 40 to 50 pounds, but when Alexis was found, she weighed just 16 pounds.
"That doesn't happen overnight," Arnold said.
Alexis also had a temperature around 96 degrees. Dogs should have a temperature around 101, Arnold said.
Additionally, Alexis was found with some wounds on her that the veterinarian of the Lake Cumberland Animal Hospital said appeared to be deliberately caused, Arnold said.
Officials are unsure as to who her owner or owners may be.
Arnold said Alexis was rescued when she was found in a backyard.
Alexis literally crawled her way into the yard because she was too weak to walk, she said.
"These people were looking for her because they kept hearing whimpering, and the couldn't find her," Arnold said. They went back outside later, and found the dog laying on the ground.
After being at the vet's office for 10 days, Alexis is getting stronger, but is still too weak to fully support her weight on all four legs.
When she first arrived, she couldn't support herself at all, and had to be fed by syringe. Now, Arnold said, she can at least raise herself up to eat food from a bowl.
And, the pup has a lot of fight left in her, Arnold said.
Arnold described her eyes looking "flat and hopeless" when she was first rescued, but now that she is getting some strength back she is getting perkier and her eyes are much brighter.
"That little tail just wags and wags," Arnold said.
She earned her name, Arnold said, from the vet tech at the hospital who first reached out to the Humane Society for help for her.
To enter a dog into the hospital's system, that dog needs a name. So when Arnold was trying to come up with one, she said she decided to honor the lady who worked so hard to help the canine and who has kept the Humane Society up to date on her progress.
Despite her weakness and a potential neurological issue that medical staff are still trying to find the origin of, Alexis the dog is in decent health, Arnold said. Most of her bloodwork has come back fine, and there were no broken bones or damage to her internal organs, indicating that she was not hit by a car.
However, even with the love and support Alexis is getting at Lake Cumberland Animal Hospital, she is still not out of the woods yet, Arnold said.
And so far, her medical bills have climbed to around $3,000. Arnold said she expects they may reach $5,000 before she can be released.
Even though there are plans in place for Alexis to eventually be given a home with a rescuer who has experience in taking care of dogs with specialized medical needs, the Humane Society still needs help in raising money to cover Alexis' current expenses.
Arnold said that anyone who wants to help can donate in a number of ways. They can mail a check to the Humane Society at PO Box 448, Somerset, Ky. 42502.
They can donate via PayPal to info@bhumane.org.
They can donate directly through the website at bhumane.org
Or they can go to the Lake Cumberland Animal Hospital and ask to pay a part of Alexis' bill.
"We're delighted with any help we can get," Arnold said.
Carla Slavey can be reached at cslavey@somerset-kentucky.com
