Saving Santiago
Donation protected
Please help me bring Santiago home to the US. While on a trip to visit friends and race in Puerto Rico I was saddened by the number of stray dogs and cats all over the island. This am 3/20 while stopping for one last walk on the beach in the little town of Punta Santiago I saw a little pup who limped up to me and literally threw himself on my feet and cried. I didn't know if He was hurt or what was wrong . A Puerto Rican road worker who was working cleaning up the park came running over and asked what happened and tried to scare the pup away from me. The pup didn't budge and I told him it was ok, I didn't know what was wrong but I would take care of him. The man said "good, thank you" and walked away. So I scooped up the pup because he wouldn't stand and brought him directly to a vet I was directed to by someone who has worked with rescues.
In PR everything moves slow, I spent the majority of my last day sitting awaiting my turn as they don't do appointments it is first come first served. I decided to call him Santiago for the beach where he found me. He sat quietly in my lap and slept most of the wait.
Once we saw the vet it was determined that he was to sick to travel at this time and has two different tick borne diseases as well as a TVT (transmissible venereal tumor) which is common in strays in warm climates. His platelettes are very low and his white blood cell count is high which means he probably has another infection most likely urinary. He also has a fairly new healing fracture of his right front leg that is what is causing him to limp, and to make things worse he is very anemic.
Santiago basically melted into the exam table and was so tired he went right to sleep. The plan is to treat for the tick issues and anemia and then give him two doses of chemo medication to stop the TVT .
When I found out all that was wrong I had two choices..... One to send him back out to the streets where he was (vet said his health was poor and he probably wouldn't have lived long on his own) or step up and save him. I stepped up. Every other Sato (stray dog) or cat I saw was skittish and ran away, none would let you get close. Santiago came to me without prompting and laid at my feet asking for help. So I did the responsible thing and talked to rescues, all are full, and the one in Punta Santiago said they have approx. 140 dogs in treatment and foster awaiting homes and another approx. 150 on the streets and in the woods around the town. So they could offer advice but not financial help or take him. Though I just found and saved him this am I hated to leave him at the vets and he seemed to actually want to stay with me.
So now I am asking for help to pay for some of his treatments and get him to the US where he can have a safe and happy life. Any money left after treatment expenses will be donated to Punta Santiago Dog Rescue to help with the dogs who are still in need. Thank you .
In PR everything moves slow, I spent the majority of my last day sitting awaiting my turn as they don't do appointments it is first come first served. I decided to call him Santiago for the beach where he found me. He sat quietly in my lap and slept most of the wait.
Once we saw the vet it was determined that he was to sick to travel at this time and has two different tick borne diseases as well as a TVT (transmissible venereal tumor) which is common in strays in warm climates. His platelettes are very low and his white blood cell count is high which means he probably has another infection most likely urinary. He also has a fairly new healing fracture of his right front leg that is what is causing him to limp, and to make things worse he is very anemic.
Santiago basically melted into the exam table and was so tired he went right to sleep. The plan is to treat for the tick issues and anemia and then give him two doses of chemo medication to stop the TVT .
When I found out all that was wrong I had two choices..... One to send him back out to the streets where he was (vet said his health was poor and he probably wouldn't have lived long on his own) or step up and save him. I stepped up. Every other Sato (stray dog) or cat I saw was skittish and ran away, none would let you get close. Santiago came to me without prompting and laid at my feet asking for help. So I did the responsible thing and talked to rescues, all are full, and the one in Punta Santiago said they have approx. 140 dogs in treatment and foster awaiting homes and another approx. 150 on the streets and in the woods around the town. So they could offer advice but not financial help or take him. Though I just found and saved him this am I hated to leave him at the vets and he seemed to actually want to stay with me.
So now I am asking for help to pay for some of his treatments and get him to the US where he can have a safe and happy life. Any money left after treatment expenses will be donated to Punta Santiago Dog Rescue to help with the dogs who are still in need. Thank you .
Organizer
Ann Ingersoll Morin
Organizer
Berlin, NH
