Last Thursday, a brave rescuer in Vernon found Charlie. This five-month-old pup was in pain, holding up his paw, and crying, he needed medical attention immediately!
After trying with no luck to take him to the SPCA shelter in Vernon (which has now announced it is closing its doors), she desperately called around for help and thankfully was referred by a veterinary hospital to the Okanagan Humane Society.
“We receive many referrals from shelters across the Okanagan who are not accepting animals for various reasons, and we are also receiving an increasing number of calls to help animals in the community that are lost, abandoned, and feral, states Romany Runnalls, President, Board of Directors, OHS. “As soon as we received the call from the rescuer, we had her rush Charlie to one of our veterinary partners in Vernon,” mentions Runnalls.
Charlie, who is less than 20 lbs, had a broken leg from a fall or impact and needed immediate assessment, x-rays, and medication to relieve him from the pain of the break. The cost of surgical repair was estimated at $7,000, on top of this initial treatment and ongoing care. Given the youth of Charlie, the veterinarians gave OHS the option to provide a sturdy splint and on-going monitoring to help him mend. He isn’t out of the woods yet, and he will need to be in foster care for 6 weeks with vet visits and split changes to ensure he is recovering the best he can to live pain free as a normal little dog.
“As a local charity, we work hard to support local animals and our veterinary partners play a huge role in this work, states Runnalls. We moved quickly for this little pup and our vet partners were here to support us thankfully,”
The cost of care are already at $3,100 to help Charlie recover from his injury before he is then neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, micro-chipped and placed for adoption.
“Charlie is incredibly sweet, friendly, and otherwise in good health. We don’t know what Charlie’s outcome may have been had he not been rescued by this caring individual,” says Runnalls.
He is now in the care of a generous foster and will spend the next several weeks healing until he is ready to find his forever home.
This volunteer run, foster based organization is trending to help even more animals in 2023 than in 2022 and last year had already been a record year for the local organization saving more than 1500 local animals.
OHS does not receive any municipal or government funding and is reliant on support from the community to continue this life saving work.
“Our only limitations are funding and fosters, so please donate today or sign up to become a foster,” pleads Runnalls.
OHS is seeking support from the public to help cover the medical costs to save Charlie and right now, your donation will be matched.
“We are thrilled to launch our second annual Angels for Animals fundraising campaign from November 1 to December 31, mentions Marni Adams, Fund Development Advisor, OHS.
“The Berbeewalsh Foundation has stepped up to match up to $25,000 in donations for the second year in a row so your donation today will be matched to save twice the lives, states Adams.
To donate today, go to https://okanaganhumanesociety.com/
OHS is a local charity that has been serving the Okanagan region for more than 27 years. They have spayed or neutered more than 27,000 animals and helped more than 1500 animals last year.
Programs include rescue, medical/pet assistance, medical emergency, adoptions, reuniting pets and people and compassionate board. The organization is volunteer run with a foster based animal care program that can see 200 animals in care in various foster homes throughout the Okanagan region.
To learn more about OHS, go to https://okanaganhumanesociety.com/rescue/ or follow them on Facebook.