IT WAS MEANT TO BE
EVA GETS HER SURGERY

     EVA

Thanks to the generosity of animal lovers who contributed to the Animal Care Fund which paid for the surgery that saved Eva's life she is a thriving happy puppy enjoying a life she certainly would not have had the opportunity to have enjoyed if not for the people who donated toward her care and the woman who fostered and later adopted Eva and of course the surgeon who performed the surgery at half the normal cost of the surgery.

"I'm just so happy I was able to adopt her, help raise money for her
surgery, and save her life. Now I can't imagine my life without her.
It's so much more special to adopt or even foster a dog that has such
major medical needs. You feel so good about yourself when it's all said
and done. Now that she has gone through the surgery she's a normal puppy
again and her hobbies include, chasing frogs, chewing on shoes, and
romping through the woods. "

Foster/Adoptive Mom Amy S.

Eva's Story
Eva's family brought her to the Ingham County Animal Shelter because she was injured and they could not pay the veterinary cost to care for her injury. An elderly woman with two grandchildren in tow carried the puppy into the lobby of the shelter and sat her on the desk and said, "she has a broken leg and we can't fix it". The children were distraught having to give up their puppy but knew they could not care for her. Staff members knew that under the circumstances this puppy may have to be put to sleep because of the expense associated with a broken leg. The funds were not simply not available. And there sat the cutest doe-eyed, floppy- eared puppy you ever saw. She was trying to kiss the clerks and wiggled about despite her broken leg.

She stole everyone's heart. It was agreed to have her assessed for the extent of the break and make a decision after the results were in. Unfortuneatly the break in her femur bone was extensive and would require extensive surgey from a specialist. The cost was estimated at $1500-2000. We also knew we would be challenged to not only raise the funds needed but to find a foster home who would be able to make the commitment to the rehabilitation process after the surgery.
Fate was truly on the side of this puppy...that same afternoon a woman called the shelter on behalf of a co-worker who was on her way to the shelter to adopt a puppy she'd seen on the website. That puppy had already been adopted. The caller was disappointed for her colleague who was on her way anticpating adopting that particular puppy. The staff member a took a chance and told her story of Eva the puppy with a broken leg--the woman on the phone was hooked as we were and urged the clerk to show Eva to her co-worker when she arrived. When the co-worker arrived at the shelter she was dissappointed that the puppy she came for was adopted and reluctantly agreed to look at the "other" puppy. We didn't mention the broken leg until after she saw her. She was told Eva was sleeping in the Director's office- with hopes she would foster Eva--staff guided her to the office where Eva was curled up fast asleep in a cuddly cat bed. Once Eva raised her head and looked up with those big sleepy doe eyes, the woman she was hooked. The rest is history--Amy fostered Eva. She took herhome and nursed her through colds, parasites and ultimately her surgery. Amy continues to rehabilitate her. Her co-workers raised the majority of the funds needed to pay for Eva's surgery. Every thing happens for a reason--the puppy she meant to adopt was gone before she arrived and there waited Eva...it was meant to be.