Post by Brooke on Mar 22, 2004 16:21:13 GMT -5
Two Help Woman Rescue Dog
BY SARA LINDAU: Staff Writer
Ursa is one lucky dog, thanks to three good Samaritans who rescued her from a busy highway.
Laura Benson of Aberdeen noticed the weak and starving bulldog-boxer mix as she was driving along N.C. 5 last month.
“She looked like a little bear to me,” Benson said. “She was weaving like a drunk person. She would lie down every few feet and rest. She looked directly into my eyes as I was driving down the road to get groceries and I just could not leave her by the side of the road. She was so thin.”
Benson pulled off the road, got out of her car and tried to approach the dog. Each time, the dog would go back onto the highway. After she spent about 20 minutes trying to lure the dog from harm’s way, a man stopped and offered to help.
“I only know his name is Jim,” she said. “He was so nice. He said he could see what I was trying to do. He volunteered to go get some dog food to lure her to me so she could be taken into the car and taken away from danger.”
While the man went to buy the food, another driver stopped. The man found a long cord in his car that could be used to put around the dog’s neck to leash it and put it into Benson’s vehicle.
“She let me put it around her neck and didn’t growl or anything,” Benson said. “She gobbled up two cans of dog food and from then on it was simple to get the dog into the car and take her home.”
Benson has decided to keep the 3-year-old dog, even though she is suffering from heartworms, two kinds of mange and a recently treated case of hookworm. The dog had also given birth recently, but veterinarians are treating her for life-threatening heartworms before dealing with other problems.
The two good Samaritans gave Benson money that day for Ursa. One of the men also promised make a donation to Solutions for Animals, a private animal shelter where Benson had done volunteer work on Saturdays.
Ursa is now right at home around Benson’s house. She has put on weight. Her veterinarian at Yadkin Park Animal Hospital told her the dog was about 3 years old but had the body of an 8-year-old because of neglect and abuse.
Ursa’s ears are slit (cut), although the wounds have healed. She’s also had one treatment for heartworms. The treatment will cost at least $500, Benson said.
“I want to keep her,” Benson said. “She’s going to need so much treatment.”
Benson also has two cats: Lonnie, an orange (neutered) tom she adopted from Solutions for Animals; and Katy, a gray feline, a stray she took in after the cat came around her house looking for food.
Once Ursa completes the heartworm treatments, she will need sulfur baths to treat her for mange, which is contagious. The dog scratches constantly and chews her inflamed skin.
The veterinary bills are adding up for Benson, who recently became single.
“It’s hard,” she said. “I want to keep Ursa.“
She has taken a second job on Saturdays, to pay all of the vet bills.
“At first, I wasn’t going to keep her,” she said. “Katy was already mad at me for bringing Lonnie home. Then Ursa came. She weighed 53 pounds and Dr. Nordlund (the veterinarian) told me she needed to gain 12 pounds. She lost some weight from her hookworm treatments, but I think she has put on weight since she has filled out, but I’m going to have to pay off some of these treatments over time.”
Ursa housebroke herself, Benson said. She never made a mess in the house. Benson comes home and takes her out three times a day. At night, Ursa jumps up on the couch and watches television along with Lonnie.
Ursa loves to ride in the car, even though most of her outings have been to the veterinarians’ office. She has no fear of strangers. She sniffs their hands curiously, although she is a bit cautious.
Cindy Bristow, who owns Solutions for Animals, said Benson had been a regular volunteer at her Hoke County home-based shelter. She had to give up the volunteer work after taking a second job to help pay for Ursa’s veterinary bills.
Bristow welcomes any donations of food for cats, dogs, or cash she can receive since her nonprofit shelter has limited resources. She welcomes volunteers. Her purpose is to find homes for her animals. The phone number is 875-7244.
BY SARA LINDAU: Staff Writer
Ursa is one lucky dog, thanks to three good Samaritans who rescued her from a busy highway.
Laura Benson of Aberdeen noticed the weak and starving bulldog-boxer mix as she was driving along N.C. 5 last month.
“She looked like a little bear to me,” Benson said. “She was weaving like a drunk person. She would lie down every few feet and rest. She looked directly into my eyes as I was driving down the road to get groceries and I just could not leave her by the side of the road. She was so thin.”
Benson pulled off the road, got out of her car and tried to approach the dog. Each time, the dog would go back onto the highway. After she spent about 20 minutes trying to lure the dog from harm’s way, a man stopped and offered to help.
“I only know his name is Jim,” she said. “He was so nice. He said he could see what I was trying to do. He volunteered to go get some dog food to lure her to me so she could be taken into the car and taken away from danger.”
While the man went to buy the food, another driver stopped. The man found a long cord in his car that could be used to put around the dog’s neck to leash it and put it into Benson’s vehicle.
“She let me put it around her neck and didn’t growl or anything,” Benson said. “She gobbled up two cans of dog food and from then on it was simple to get the dog into the car and take her home.”
Benson has decided to keep the 3-year-old dog, even though she is suffering from heartworms, two kinds of mange and a recently treated case of hookworm. The dog had also given birth recently, but veterinarians are treating her for life-threatening heartworms before dealing with other problems.
The two good Samaritans gave Benson money that day for Ursa. One of the men also promised make a donation to Solutions for Animals, a private animal shelter where Benson had done volunteer work on Saturdays.
Ursa is now right at home around Benson’s house. She has put on weight. Her veterinarian at Yadkin Park Animal Hospital told her the dog was about 3 years old but had the body of an 8-year-old because of neglect and abuse.
Ursa’s ears are slit (cut), although the wounds have healed. She’s also had one treatment for heartworms. The treatment will cost at least $500, Benson said.
“I want to keep her,” Benson said. “She’s going to need so much treatment.”
Benson also has two cats: Lonnie, an orange (neutered) tom she adopted from Solutions for Animals; and Katy, a gray feline, a stray she took in after the cat came around her house looking for food.
Once Ursa completes the heartworm treatments, she will need sulfur baths to treat her for mange, which is contagious. The dog scratches constantly and chews her inflamed skin.
The veterinary bills are adding up for Benson, who recently became single.
“It’s hard,” she said. “I want to keep Ursa.“
She has taken a second job on Saturdays, to pay all of the vet bills.
“At first, I wasn’t going to keep her,” she said. “Katy was already mad at me for bringing Lonnie home. Then Ursa came. She weighed 53 pounds and Dr. Nordlund (the veterinarian) told me she needed to gain 12 pounds. She lost some weight from her hookworm treatments, but I think she has put on weight since she has filled out, but I’m going to have to pay off some of these treatments over time.”
Ursa housebroke herself, Benson said. She never made a mess in the house. Benson comes home and takes her out three times a day. At night, Ursa jumps up on the couch and watches television along with Lonnie.
Ursa loves to ride in the car, even though most of her outings have been to the veterinarians’ office. She has no fear of strangers. She sniffs their hands curiously, although she is a bit cautious.
Cindy Bristow, who owns Solutions for Animals, said Benson had been a regular volunteer at her Hoke County home-based shelter. She had to give up the volunteer work after taking a second job to help pay for Ursa’s veterinary bills.
Bristow welcomes any donations of food for cats, dogs, or cash she can receive since her nonprofit shelter has limited resources. She welcomes volunteers. Her purpose is to find homes for her animals. The phone number is 875-7244.