Help Stop Dory's Euthanasia!!!

Hello! My name is Dory and I am a 2 year-old pup living in Burlington, Vermont. I am a HUGE snuggle bug and I love cuddling up with my humans after the adventures of the day are done! On a typical day you can find me in pursuit of the very exciting green ball I have, or policing our neighborhood squirrels.

Unfortunately I was not shown much kindness in my early life. I was found locked inside a room in an abandoned hotel in Georgia. They think I was probably used for breeding purposes, and was shown the worst kind of cruelty that an animal can experience.

I spent several months going from shelter to shelter- some of the places were high-kill. At one point I had a date set for euthanasia, but thanks to the kindness of strangers enough money was raised for my transport to a shelter in Vermont. There I met my fur-ever humans. By the time I finally got to go home with them I was stressed, underweight, and had an infection from my surgery. I felt very sad, and was completely defeated :(

Life is so much better now! My family has given me a safe place with lots of fun games and toys! I get plenty of exercise and my mom has even started trail running with me! I go on lots of adventures. My favorite ones are swimming and going down the slide at the playground! There is also a time and place for being a couch potato… I love to curl up and watch TV!

Even with all the improvement I’ve shown I still have a hard time trusting people and feeling safe. I start to whimper and panic at even the littlest noise, and when I’m left alone I fear that my humans won’t come back. I know they love me and they’ve come home every time so far… But what if they leave me just like my last humans did? I have scars on my body that are probably from the abuse, but the scars that run deepest are the ones you can’t see.

My family, as well as my veterinarians and trainer, all fear that the anxiety I experience is significantly impacting my quality of life. My fears are so intense that euthanasia may be the kindest option for me if I can’t be shown how to manage my fear.

My last hope is going to stay with the top-quality professionals at Love in the Lead, who help dogs like me feel okay again. Here I will live with a canine behavior specialist 24/7. The humans there will help me make friends and learn to manage my anxiety.

My pack is made up of 3 hardworking 22 year-old humans. 2 of them are still in school and one just graduated (go mommy!) We don’t have a lot of money, but they love me very, very much! Even while working full-time and going to school, my humans managed to save up enough money before my adoption to have an emergency vet fund. Sadly almost all of this money was used to treat my infection and pay for the other medications I need. My humans are picking up extra shifts and working their tails off for tips, but even then they still have to eat a lot of ramen!

They don't want to have to say goodbye...

The wonderful humans at Love in the Lead are helping my family as much as they can financially. Unfortunately my treatment will still be expensive, which is why I need all the helping paws I can get! Whether you can donate, share my story, or both, you are making a huge difference in my life!

I am a sweet, sweet dog. I love to snuggle with my humans, and I trust them a lot. I want to learn to trust everybody like that! I have it in me to overcome my fears… I just need to be given the chance!