Success Stories

Sarah Jane, February, 2001

Sweet Sarah Jane is a fighter. She has survived despite the overwhelming odds against her. This 5-month-old black pup's story begins when she and two littermates were dumped on the intersection of a very busy rural road in Wayne County, Ohio. The local sheriff had to block the road to save the pups and a Wayne County Humane Society agent went out to pick them up.

The pups were vaccinated for Parvo, but Sarah Jane contracted it anyway. She was taken to the vet and put on IV fluids and antibiotics. She was vomiting a lot. Because she was recently vaccinated, she had a chance to make it--and Sarah Jane made the most of that chance. According to a Humane Society worker, at one point during Sarah Jane's illness, she was down and not moving. She then crawled over to her water bowl on her belly and put her head in the water bowl. She was totally dehydrated and she was trying to get some fluids. Usually when dogs are that advanced with parvo they don't try to live. Sarah Jane was not giving up and she was smart enough to know just what she needed!

The WCHS worker begged her own vet to take Sarah Jane and give her the treatment she desperately needed. Sarah Jane was given two bags of IV fluids within two hours. She was fighting with all the strength left in her.

Unfortunately, the bills were piling up as the pup continued her valiant struggle to survive. LABMED was contacted for help and after ascertaining that Sarah Jane was indeed going to survive, we voted to fund a portion of her treatment. Sarah Jane's vet praised her as being "a sensible puppy by leaving her tubes alone" and he felt confident that she would make a full recovery.

Her rescuer says, "Sarah Jane is a very special girl.....Her eyes go right through to your heart..... her foster mom went to visit her tonight....She called me when she got home ....Working hard to hold back the tears, she told me that we did the right thing.....We both feel this puppy will grow up to do something very important and be a companion to a very lucky person......Once again thank you LABMED for being there."

The latest news we have on Sarah Jane is this: Sarah Jane is now known as Allie! Her foster family are having the time of their lives. Her rescuer says, "This puppy is so intelligent it is amazing......She already does a sit, down and stand with hand signals.....She is going to be a keeper....I am just so glad we were able to save this little one......I will always remember watching her crawl to the water bowl on her last legs trying to save herself.....now I know why.......She is a VERY special dog........Thank you !"

Update: March, 2001

The puppy that just wouldn't give up has found her forever home! Sarah Jane's foster family has adopted her; they just couldn't bear to part with this special girl.