Opie Needs Our Help

Many of you know Opie and all that she has done, and continues to do, for animals. She has worked tirelessly for decades to help improve the lives of as many animals as she possibly can. Not only is she one of the co-founders of Ring Dog Rescue but she also was one of the finest animal control officers our city has ever had, devotes endless hours serving on the Virginia Dog Fighting Task Force, and educates local police officers on proper handling of animals when responding to calls. Being one of the core members of Ring Dog Rescue easily becomes a full-time job.  She gives of herself completely to this rescue and to those in need of help...whether it be advice, time or financial assistance. She is a friend like no other and I feel so fortunate to have her in my life and as an advocate for animals in our community.  She asks for so little in return and that is why now, in her time of need, I am asking for her. Opie's dog Slinky just passed away. This is the fourth dog Opie has lost in just over a year. As if that was not difficult enough, she now has to recover from the astronomical debts accrued trying to find a way to heal her sweet Slinky.  This is a little background on this wonderful dog: 
             Slinky was found 10 years ago emaciated and collapsed in a friend’s front yard. She was taken in given treatment and thrived. Slinky became a foster failure when she made it clear she was going to do whatever she could not to be adopted. Slinky was a welcome addition to the permanent pack. She was diagnosed with cancer fairly early on, it was removed then came back, taken off a second time it was determined after it quickly came back that amputating her leg was the best option to keep it from spreading. After Slinky healed she tore an ACL she had a surgical repair done (TPLO) and was back playing, she then partially tore her other ACL but it was determined that surgery was not the best option due to instability. Slinky went for 7 years with no issues loving life, but that has all changed as of August 18, 2015. Slinky sneezed and blood came pouring out of her nose, she was rushed to the emergency veterinarian where she was given a blood transfusion, as she would not clot. The next few days included, x-rays, an ultrasound, a MRI and another blood transfusion...all while waiting for the results of her blood work. When she was still not clotting and returning to the ER for yet another blood transfusion, it was determined Slinky had DIC (Disseminated intravascular coagulation), which was a result of a greater underlying condition. It is near impossible to recover from DIC at that stage, especially when the initial condition has not been diagnosed. She had to let Slinky go. 
           My heart aches for Opie. Experiencing that much loss in such a short time is crushing. Facing each day becomes a challenge. Please show your support for Opie. Please help her recover financially and emotionally during this horrific time in her life.