New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
‘Fluffy and sweet’ rescued German shepherd needs help with surgery costs
Hamden Animal Control Officer Monica Vece was getting ready for bed late one night early this month when the call came in.
A volunteer group had managed to trap a dog that had been spotted running loose on Mountain Road.
Dave Carney, Vece’s counterpart in North Haven, was able to get to the scene faster, so Vece headed out to meet him at the animal shelter.
It was there that Carney brought Minka, a seven- or eight-year-old German shepherd with golden notes in her fur and dark spots for eyebrows.
“I met him at the shelter, got everything ready for her to come in,” Vece said. “She was very loving — very, very loving — and still is. She’s a great dog.”
Vece hopes Minka finds a loving home. But before that can happen, Minka needs to have surgery.
Minka has a tumor that needs to be removed, according to Vece, who said a follow-up pathology report will determine whether it is cancerous. The procedure and follow-up care are likely to cost at least a few thousand dollars, Vece said.
The organization Halfway Home Rescue, which has taken over Minka’s care, is raising money to cover her veterinary costs.
As of Thursday evening, Halfway Home Rescue had raised about $650 through a Facebook fundraiser.
“We’re needing all the donations we can for her,” said Vece, who said she has kept in touch with the organization about Minka.
Bonnie Posick, a volunteer with Halfway Home Rescue, said Minka is “a good dog. She’s a big shepherd … all fluffy and sweet.”
“She has a good personality,” Posick said. “… She doesn’t seem to be a barker.”
While officials were able to locate Minka’s owner, the person did not want to keep her and signed her over to animal control, Vece said.
Asked why Minka’s owner surrendered her, Vece said she could not provide details. But she said signing Minka over allows the canine to access the care she needs.
Minka reportedly had been loose in the Mountain Road area for several days when CT Dog Gone Recovery Volunteers rescued her.
“A lot of my friends know that I’m a volunteer for Dog Gone Recovery, and they reached out to me about this dog that’s been running around ragged on Mountain Road in Hamden,” said Melanie Heltke.
To capture dogs, CT Dog Gone Recovery volunteers use kennels with a special mechanism: once a dog steps on a panel, the door closes behind them, according to Heltke.
Heltke used food to lure Minka into the kennel.
It wasn’t difficult. “Normally what I use is rotisserie chicken … it smells good. You can’t use kibbles to trap a dog,” Heltke said. “(Minka) went in quite quickly actually, so she was hungry.”
Animal control would later tell Helkte that Minka was an “unbelievable good girl,” Heltke said. “She sat, she gave paw, she was very smart.”
After Minka’s rescue earlier this month, she was housed at North Haven’s shelter, where Hamden rents space, until she caught the attention of a visitor.
According to Vece, a representative from Halfway Home Rescue happened to stop by the shelter this past weekend. After meeting Minka, Vece said, the organization offered to take her in.
The group now is readying Minka for her surgery, which is scheduled to take place Tuesday, according to information provided in the Facebook fundraiser.
“She is definitely gonna need a good home once this is all said and done,” said Vece. “She’s just a sweet dog who really is just genuinely looking for love.”