Shih Tzu Rescue Adoption & Education Safehouse (S.T.R.A.E.S.): COVID-19 Operation Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
The money was used towards payment of the $3,079.97 invoice for the (third, fourth and fifth left) mammary-gland carcinoma surgical revision for BJ, one of our shelter residents.
The grant helped pay for BJ's surgery. COVID-19 cost us two major fundraising events and several smaller ones; we were/are really hurting financially. Because of the grant, the donations that we would have needed to use to pay for BJ's surgery were then available for the care of our other resident dogs. Our shelter specializes in accepting and caring for special-needs dogs. Since late 2019 we have welcomed five dogs, including BJ, who required specialized major surgery for acute medical issues (an enucleation, two amputations and two with cancerous tumors). The holding hospitals chose not to spend the time and expense necessary to provide for their care. Rather than euthanizing the dogs, they contacted us. No other shelters/rescues were willing or able to accept these dogs. Your grant assisted us with payment of their extraordinary medical expenses. We manage only on contributions from our generous donors and the pandemic has seriously cut into those gifts. In the 21 years of our existence, yours is the first and only grant we have ever received. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We receive no support from any national rescue group or organizations. We have no paid staff; we are an all-volunteer organization, and all donations go directly to the care of our shelter dogs.
How many pets did this grant help?
All the dogs in our shelter were helped because your grant allowed us to use our limited funds for the care of the other dogs in residence. We have no paid staff, so your grant went directly to the "pot" that is used to pay for the care of our homeless dogs.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Let me tell you the story of this beautiful, loving, 9-year-old Shih Tzu. BJ was picked up by Will County Animal Control; a filthy, stinking, flea-infested, matted, frightened-beyond-belief stray. Animal Control handed her over to a local animal hospital for holding. No one claimed the little dog, so when her time was up, the hospital contacted us. Saving Shih Tzu is our mission, so we responded immediately.
BJ arrived at the Safehouse in November 2019. She had several mammary tumors and an oozing, open sore on her belly. BJ was presented to our veterinarian and underwent spay and mammary surgery in December. Unfortunately, the two mammary tumors were cancerous and the surgery to remove them was incomplete, so a second surgery would be necessary to assure complete removal of the cancerous tissue.
BJ was presented to the VCA Aurora Oncology Service for further workup relative to a second surgery in January 2020. During the evaluation, BJ was found to have an adrenal mass and enlarged lymph node, possibly indicating that the leftover pieces of cancerous tumor might have spread. Further testing was required. February 2020 results were good news (at last!). BJ was seen by the VCA Aurora Surgery Department to discuss surgical revision at her scar site and complete removal of the two mammary tumors and the adrenal mass.
BJ was admitted for staging and surgery on May 11, 2020. Recheck thoracic radiographs revealed no evidence of metastasis, and no evident changes were noted on abdominal ultrasound when compared to the previous ultrasound. Surgery was performed and the previous surgical scar was resected and the resections was extended to also include the third mammary gland. Tissue was submitted of histopathologic review and results showed the diagnosed mammary carcinomas had been completely excised. BJ has made a remarkable recovery and is being adopted by one of our volunteer alumni families.
