The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
‘A playful spirit’
Hope, the once emaciated dog, appears to be on the mend
BRANFORD >> It’s a story that has been told near and far, from overseas to across the country, and has touched the hearts of many: the story of Hope — the emaciated pit/ lab mix found along Route 1 in town — and the dog’s will to survive despite the odds stacked against her.
It’s a story that keeps getting better and better.
During a visit to a Connecticut veterinary hospital Thursday, Hope lit up with excitement and wagged her tail as shelter staff greeted her with open arms.
When Hope first started receiving care at the veterinary hospital, she was timid and scared, staff said. But on Thursday, Hope showed no such signs. She seemed happy and in high spirits as she let people pet her and give her treats. The hospital asked not to be named.
It was a far different picture from when she was first found more than two weeks ago.
On March 6, the 30-pound, skin-and-bones dog, later named Hope, was brought to the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter after a woman said she found her walking near the Big Y Plaza in Branford.
Hope was found in grave condition. She had just enough loose skin to cover her skeleton — making it one of the worst cases of starvation shelter Director Laura Burban said she has ever seen.
Bed sores covered her paws, elbows and buttock bones — indicating Hope was confined to a small area or dog crate where she was unable to stand or move, Burban said.
“I was horrified at her condition. I was extremely concerned that she wouldn’t make it through the night. She was laying flat out in a cage that had beds all around and she wasn’t able to lift her head. There was a very lifeless look to her,” Burban said. “The first thing I did when I saw Hope was the first thing that I do with all of the other animals that come into my care. I snuggled into her face and said ‘Listen, I promise you I’m going to do whatever I can to save you and make this right.’”
Since the shelter began providing around-theclock care for Hope, she has started to heal. Her features have started to fill out, her body temperature has stabilized, and she started to walk again.
“It is one of the thinnest dogs that we have seen in a while,” said the veterinarian treating Hope. “She tipped the scale at 51 pounds this morning. It is the most she has weighed since she has been in the hospital.”
Hope still needs to gain weight — to reach between 62 and 65 pounds — and her blood work must continue to be monitored, the veterinarian said.
“She’s not perfect yet but she is much improved,” said the veterinarian, who asked not to be named. “She has a couple more blood draws in her future to make sure everything is normalizing, but she is definitely headed in the right direction.”
Path to recovery
But Hope’s path to recovery hasn’t been without its challenges.
On March 11, Hope’s health began to deteriorate. She started vomiting and was unable to hold down any food. Tests later showed her liver was not diluting properly and her pancreas was inflamed. Her other organs were stable.
An ultrasound revealed Hope had a foreign object in her stomach. On March 15, veterinarians performed an endoscopy which showed a small stuffed animal blocking Hope’s intestines. The veterinarians were able to remove the stuffed toy by attaching a hook to the endoscope.
“Since having the stuffed toy removed, she has had setbacks. She spiked a fever, she had an infection and she did have some diarrhea,” Burban said.
But shelter staff remain hopeful that Hope will overcome the odds against her.
“She has a playful spirit now as she is getting better. We are all at the place where if she is still progressing after this weekend, we feel really confident that she is going to pull through out of all this,” Burban said.
Justice for Hope
Veterinarians estimate Hope went without a food source for eight to 12 weeks.
“It would not be possible for her to wander the streets for that time because of winter weather,” Burban said.
The shelter is offering a $9,000 reward — which is combined of donated money and a $5,000 PETA contribution — for information leading to the arrest of the person allegedly responsible for the dog’s condition.
To date, the shelter has received few tips with information, Burban said.
“We may never find the person responsible. It depends on what information we get and what somebody is willing to tell us,” Burban said.
But Burban said her staff is working to determine what happened to Hope.
“We are starting to look at surveillance tapes from where Hope was found. We start building the case from there. From that point, we just keep trying to go back and talk to other people who were in the area, who may have seen something or know something,” Burban said.
The support of a community
Since Hope was brought to the shelter, Burban said she has received 20 adoption applications. But the ability to adopt Hope hinges on her recovery.
“With Hope, it is going to be a very long process. We have to feel confident that she is going with the right person or family,” Burban said.
While Hope’s condition is stable now, it is unknown what type of long-term care she may need.
“It’s too early to tell what issues she may have longterm. Her intestinal disease is something that might need to be managed long-term but we will have to see how everything plays out,” the veterinarian said. “She needs somebody who is willing to work with her, realizing she might have some trust issues. She needs a nice, welcoming home that is going to continue to give her the love and support she needs.”
Since Hope was brought to the shelter 18 days ago, her story has been told across the state and country. People locally and worldwide — from Vietnam to the United Kingdom to Australia to Canada, to California and Georgia — have reached out to offer their support for Hope, Burban said.
Hundreds of people turned out Sunday when John Frisco, owner of Frisco’s Pizza in New Haven, held a fundraiser for Hope. Frisco donated 100 percent of the profits raised from pizza sales to Hope. An anonymous donor also matched the money Frisco raised dollar-for-dollar. Frisco donated more than $16,000 in total to the shelter for Hope’s care.
“Dogs strike a chord with a lot of people because they are known as man’s best friend,” Burban said. “People have really latched onto the positivity factor — that she is fighting and she is winning.”
And when the time is right, Burban said Hope will be given her happy ending.
“I know we will find her the right place to go and live and thrive,” Burban said.
Anyone wishing to donate to Hope or the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter can make donations through Paypal at branfordanimalshelter.org or by mailing checks or supplies to 749 E. Main St., Branford, CT 06405.