A five-month-old Cane Corso named Sidon was saved by Penn Vet’s Shelter Dog Specialty Medical Treatment Project, making him the 100th dog aided by the program since its launch in March 2015. The life-saving program is made possible through the generosity of the Richard Lichter Charity for Dogs.

When a shelter dog has a medical problem that requires specialty care, shelters often do not have the resources necessary to address the animal’s needs. Experts from Penn Vet’s Shelter Medicine Program and partner facilities select dogs to enroll in the

Shelter Dog Specialty Medical Treatment Project. Through this program, veterinarians at Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital provide specialized medical care to dogs from area shelters that are in need. All diagnostic and medical services are covered free of charge to participating shelters. Following treatment, dogs are placed in foster homes and made available for adoption.

“It is incredible that we’ve been able to give 100 dogs a second chance at life through Richard’s tremendous support,” said Dr. Brittany Watson, Director of Shelter Medicine and Community Engagement at Penn Vet. “The Shelter Dog Specialty Medical Treatment Project has been so impactful for our students, staff, and shelter partners, enabling us to collaborate with the shelter community to save the lives of dogs in need.”

“This has been a wonderful opportunity to give a helping hand to dogs who just need some medical assistance in order to be adoptable,” said Richard Lichter.

Sidon arrived at the Pennsylvania SPCA with an extremely swollen neck and shoulder. The swelling appeared to be progressive, so he was sent to Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital for advanced diagnostics, intensive care, and possible surgery. Sidon was placed on antibiotics, which helped to lower his fever and swelling. A CT scan revealed a fluid-filled tract that spread from the base of his tongue to the thorax and the mediastinum, as well as to the shoulder blade and along the back. The extensive infection was the result of an unknown injury, most likely a penetrating foreign body.

Drs. Lillian Aronson and Christine Hsueh performed surgery to debride and flush out the abnormal tissue. They also placed a closed suction drain to remove additional fluid post-surgery.

Sidon recovered very well and the drain was removed after 36 hours. Today, he is happily residing with his foster parent, Allison Vetter, CVT, one of the nurses who cared for him at Ryan Hospital.

“I tell everyone how wonderful the Shelter Dog Specialty Medical Treatment Program is,” said Vetter. “It makes a big difference for dogs who wouldn’t otherwise have a second chance at life. I have high hopes for Sidon.”

Established in 2006, the Penn Vet Shelter Medicine Program programs consultative, educational, and veterinary support to regional shelters and residents of the Greater Philadelphia community. The program has a significant impact on how many homeless animals are given quality care and placed into permanent homes. In addition, the program provides interdisciplinary and authentic instruction to veterinary students through the lens of shelter medicine, by integrating best practices in educational techniques and research with community outreach, collaborative partnerships, and service learning.

Ranked among the top five veterinary schools worldwide, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) is a global leader in veterinary education, research, and clinical care. Founded in 1884, Penn Vet is the first veterinary school developed in association with a medical school. The school is a proud member of the One Health initiative, linking human, animal, and environmental health.

Penn Vet serves a diverse population of animals at its two campuses, which include extensive diagnostic and research laboratories. Ryan Hospital in Philadelphia provides care for dogs, cats, and other domestic/companion animals, handling nearly 35,000 patient visits a year. New Bolton Center, Penn Vet’s large-animal hospital on nearly 700 acres in rural Kennett Square, PA, cares for horses and livestock/farm animals. The hospital handles nearly 4,900 patient visits a year, while the Field Service treats more than 38,000 patients at local farms. In addition, New Bolton Center’s campus includes a swine center, working dairy, and poultry unit that provide valuable research for the agriculture industry.

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Though the $8,000 was left in the donation box in the cat center, it will go towards all the animals they take in.  They care for over 10,000 animals every year, and that money will go a long way in helping keep them fed and healthy.

They also offer free adoptions and vaccinations for active military members as veterans who are in need of emotional support animal, and they rely on donations to keep this program afloat.

When we see goodness in the world, we are often inspired to go good ourselves, which was exactly the case for another nameless patron, who put $2,000 into the office donation bin.  This will likely help save a number of pets in dire need of emergency medical care.

Now they just need people to adopt the many animals they mind!  If you live in the SoCal area and would like to take a look at some of their adoptables.

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Every year they make a new one with a different theme, and all of the proceeds go to Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Westmead Children’s Hospital Burns Unit.  The photos in this collection are taken from the new 2017 line up, and this year, they went with rescue puppies.

This year, along with their regular donations, they be making an additional donation to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  All of the dogs featured are rescue puppies, and all are available for adoption.

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Barry Stewart is the amazing teacher inspiring kids to do more for other. He wanted to motivate his students to learn skills they will use as adults, helping them better prepare for the future, and in 2002 he started a program where his shop students learned basic construction skills while building dog houses. The houses are donated to the Houses for Hounds program run by the Forsyth County Animal Control.

Since the beginning of this program, the students have mastered construction skills and donated more than 600 dog house to low-income pet owners and animal welfare groups.

The teenagers have not only learned a wonderful skill, but this opportunity have also led them to design better homes for dogs in need. The houses now feature removable roofs, doorways positioned on the side of the homes to protect pets against wind, and a two-inch raised entryway to prevent pets from removing their beds.

This shows how the right guidance helps our future leaders to think of others first. Doing good things doesn’t take much, and the world would be a better place if compassion is taught at a young age.

The shop students now plan to add feeding stations to their goals and help even more animals in need. Think of all the homeless animals these feeding stations will help.

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Many of us close our hearts to their plight and go about our day without a second thought. Even worse, some of us judge them with harsh disregard for the fact that they are still humans with feelings, flaws, and misfortunes. And when they have a pet, they’re considered cruel for inflicting their hard times on the trusting animal.

But that doesn’t take into account how loyal pets are, how often they are abandoned and taken in by these individuals, and how much their humans sacrifice their own well-being to make sure their fluffy friends get enough food and shelter before them.
This video shows how important these bonds truly are, and how wrong we are to question that.

Instead of ignoring, judging, and shunning these individuals, we should be doing our part to help them. Head over to the Pets of the Homeless website to see how you can assist with a donation or by volunteering your time to help these cuties stay healthy despite their hard times.

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You got that right, John Legend sang at a dog wedding! The lucky couple, Puddy and Pippa, were serenaded by the famous singer himself during their wedding. But this performance is not just for the dog couple’s benefit, this is actually for charity. Find out more about the charity at the link below the video. But in the meantime, take a look at this adorable and sweet dog wedding video!

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Lynn Stacey of the UK has a variety of disabilities, and says she’d be lost without her assistance dog, Bella.

“You wouldn’t believe what Bella can do, she’s amazing. From fetching me things to helping me undress and emptying the washing machine. I’d be lost without her,” she told the Sunderland Echo.

Because she’s so smart, Stacey is putting her to the challenge by teaching her a trick a day to raise money for Dog A.I.D., an organization that helps disabled clients train their pets to assist them with tasks.

“We already do the Dog A.I.D stand at Crufts to inform people about the charity, but I also wanted to do something completely different to help them.

“Bella is already a Champion Trick Dog and she loves doing her tricks so I thought, why not do a trick a day for a year?”

Stacey uploads videos of Bella’s tricks to the website, where people can sponsor specific tricks.

“Some are very simple tricks, some are more complex. She plays dead, does the meerkat where she stands on her back legs, and does a hand stand on her front legs, all sorts of things.

“We’ve raised £160 ($240) so far and we’re hoping to raise £1,000 ($1,500) by the end of the year.”

Stacey is training to be an Associate Trick Dog instructor, and says that performing makes Bella happy.

“Bella is at her best when she is learning, so adding tricks to her existing knowledge base made perfect sense,” she said. “It has brought us closer as a working partnership and many of the tricks have a purpose in our everyday life as well.”

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