For the third year in a row, three groups of animal advocates have joined forces in an effort to save the lives of many heartworm-positive dogs at the Dillon County Animal Shelter.
A heartworm-positive diagnosis dooms a Shelter dog to a slow, painful death. A Shelter dog suffering from heartworms has almost no hope of ever leaving the Shelter alive. But the Dillon County Animal Shelter staff, Friends Helping the Dillon County Animal Shelter, and the Humane Society of Dillon County are working together to fund fast-kill medical treatment for that these dogs.
Members of these three groups hosted a Valentine’s Day reception at the Dillon County Animal Shelter to kick off this campaign and to gain the public’s attention for this project. A good crowd enjoyed the afternoon brainstorming ideas for funding for this program.
Fast-kill heartworm treatment is very costly, and there are no funds in the Shelter budget for this kind of medical help. Approximately $400 is needed for the treatment for each dog, and this is based on the dog’s weight. So far, eleven dogs have been designated as recipients of this life-saving treatment, and one has already received the first of a series of three shots. The dogs selected for treatment are among those most likely to be adopted or go to good rescues when treated. Fast-kill heartworm treatment is basically their only hope for living a happy, healthy life. There are 25 dogs designated as part of this program, but probably many more suffering from it. This is an urgent need, too, a real matter of life and death because one eight-month-old pup who had been designated as a recipient of this treatment died before he could be treated.
This is an amazing project for an animal shelter as small as the Dillon County Animal Shelter to undertake. Because of the publicity and the hard work of these three groups, a transport and rescue group based in Wilmington, NC, has decided to support the Dillon Shelter in its campaign and will help devise strategies for improvement. SAVEDOG Project is an outstanding organization, and the Shelter will greatly benefit from their help.
But the members of the Humane Society, Friends Helping the Shelter, and the Shelter staff are desperately seeking funding from local businesses and friends of the animals of the Shelter. Donations can be sent to the Humane Society of Dillon County, 4160 Glasdrum Drive, Little Rock, SC 29567 or Pay Pal to Humanesocietyofdilloncounty@gmail.com. They are a 501(c)3 organization. Or contributors can donate directly to the Dillon County Animal Shelter at 1020 Old Latta Highway, Dillon, SC 29536, Pay Pal to dilloncountyanimalshelter@hotmail.com or to South Robeson Veterinary Services at Drrlavine@ yahoo.com.
