Linda Brandt
Linda Brandt, 52, Silverdale, NSW
Standing at the examination table, I hoped the helpless pup would pull through. ‘I’m here,’ I whispered.
Just hours earlier, my husband, Mark, 53, called me from the local fire station where he worked. ‘We just rescued a poor puppy from a drain,’ he said, panicked. ‘Can you take care of her?’ So I took her straight to the vet.
Shaking uncontrollably, the helpless hound was completely hairless and too weak to lift her head. She would even cry out in pain at the slightest touch of her raw skin.
How could anyone do this to an animal and leave them to die? I wondered. So I vowed to give her the love she deserved. ‘I’ll call you Lalor,’ I said.
When we arrived, the vet was extremely concerned. ‘It looks like her mange has been untreated for months,’ he said.
Lalor also had a broken leg, but wouldn’t be able to have surgery until her infection cleared. So they gave her plenty of fluids, as well as an IV drip.
‘She’s in such a bad way, I don’t know if she’ll make it,’ the vet admitted.
Devastated, I didn’t have the money to cover the costs of her treatment. So I set up a crowdfunding page with Lalor’s story. A few days later, Lalor was well enough to give me a grateful lick.
‘I don’t know if she’ll make it,’ the vet admitted.
Incredibly, in just a matter of days, word had spread about Lalor’s rescue and people would stop by Mark’s work to drop off dog bones and blankets. One lady even knitted her a jumper!
When we had raised more than $10,000 for her treatment, Lalor was able to have surgery on her leg. ‘You’re safe now,’ I promised when she woke.
After more than eight weeks of physiotherapy, we were finally able to bring Lalor to her fur-ever home.
Covering us in kisses, our cheeky girl fitted right in with the rest of our adopted animals.
It’s now been over four months since Lalor was rescued and we’re looking forward to spending our first Christmas with her.
Originally published in Issue 51 of that’s life! magazine – December 22, 2016.
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