A few days ago, a motorist in the town of Eunice in St. Landry Parish noticed a clump of matted fur on the side of a busy street. The motorist slowed down and pulled over, only to discover the matted fur belonged to a small Yorkie, who was shivering in the cold on the side of the street.

The motorist put the frail dog in her car and drove home. The dog was blind, matted, underweight, and likely had a broken front right leg. The rescuer called all the local shelters, but they all said that they were full. So, the rescuers posted pictures of the dog on social media, and another rescuer agreed to take her. The second rescuer contacted the Humane Society of Louisiana, and they decided to raise funds for her care.

The Humane Society also saw the Yorkie's abandonment and mistreatment could help shed light on the bigger issues: namely, the lack of sufficient housing facilities and programs to help animals across the state. To educate the public and elected officials on the ever increasing number of abandoned, stray, and mistreated animals, the Humane Society decided to call the Yorkie Ivy, as a nod to the upcoming holiday season, and to name her their Holiday Canine Mascot - whose story might inspire people to donate or join their campaign to build more animal shelters and invest in more services.

So, please use Ivy's story of being mistreated and dumped on the side of the road as a compelling reason to fund her recovery and lobby for more resources and services.