Dumaguete Animal Sanctuary

Every Life Matters

RIP

Izzy

Izzy

On July 29 2021, we rescued a young female dog and her puppy from extreme neglect. She and the puppy were tied up with no food, shelter or water, and must have been like that for a long time.  The owner signed them over to us.

They were both full of worms and other parasites, and were dangerously underweight.  She weighed just 4.6 kilos, which is around the weight a four-month old puppy should be.  Izzy's blood tests showed her to be in a critical state and we began preparations for a blood transfusion.  

Ozzy when rescued

We put her on an IV, and bought her into the clinic, but sadly she gave up the fight around 10am on Sunday 1 August 2021.  Ozzy lives on, but without a mother.  We are so sorry Izzy, and words can't properly express our profound sadness and bewilderment as to how an animal can be left to die in this manner.

Izzy after rescue

Red

Red

On July 18 2021, we rescued a young female dog with a broken front leg. We named her after the reporters Facebook name, Red.
She was a sweet little girl but is suffering from mange and malnutrition.

On 24 July, she died during surgery for amputation of her leg. The surgery actually went very well but just as the vets were closing her surgery wound she started going into respiratory distress. We put her on oxygen immediately, but she then had a cardiac arrest. Despite our best efforts to resuscitate her, she died.
Some dogs for various reasons can't handle the anaesthesia.  We are so sorry Red.

Red when rescued

Despite our best efforts to resuscitate her, she died.
Some dogs for various reasons can't handle the anaesthesia.  We are so sorry Red.

Scarjo

Scarjo

On July 13 2021, we received reports of a dog hacked with some sort of knife, which split open her face and damaged her eye beyond repair.
Doc Pierre had to remove her eye unfortunately.

The surgery was successful, and Scarjo was seemingly making a recovery. She has been very placid and friendly the whole time she has been here until she suddenly started growling and trying to bite the staff.

Scarjoe after surgery

Within the next couple of hours she started to rapidly get worse, showing all the symptoms of Rabies (find out more about Rabies here).
We put her inside the clinic for the night.  In the morning she was able to still sit up but by lunchtime she was unable to.  She exhibited all the signs that indicate her brain is being destroyed by the virus.

What's alarming is the number of Rabies cases we are seeing recently.
There is no possibility that Nebula and Scarjo got it at the shelter. If a dog has Rabies it is only contagious in the very final stages when the virus has traveled through the brain and reached the salivary glands, which usually takes a minimum of 10 days, and often more than 50 days after the initial infection.  Signs of rabies are very obvious at this time.
Our only option sadly was to put her to sleep. We are so sorry Scarjo.

Rhoda

Rhoda

We're sorry to report that Rhoda didn't make it. Her injuries from the impact of the hit and run damaged her kidneys beyond repair. Doc Pierre tried so hard to save her.  Thanks also Kate and Paolo for picking her up from the middle of the road and bringing her here.
We are sorry Rhoda that you had to suffer so much.  You can read more about Rhoda's story on her Profile Page.

Nebula

Nebula

Named Nebula by the reporter who bought her in, she was in very poor shape, having suffered a hit-and-run by a motorcycle that severed her leg around the end of June 2021.  The reporter offered to raise funds for her, and adopt her when she was better.  

The surgery was successful, and Nebula was scheduled to return to her new adopted home.  She was eating well, and responding positively as you can see in this video clip from 1 July 2021.

Sadly, just as she was recovering at the Sanctuary, she began showing signs of extreme aggressive behaviour.  Rapid temperament change like this is an indication of Rabies, as is a fear of water (Hydrophobia) which she quickly developed.  

She tried to bite everyone who came near, chew at her cage, despite never showing signs of aggression before.  It was with a heavy heart we decided to put her to sleep on Monday 12 July 2021, as Rabies is always fatal for dogs, and is dangerous to humans.  It is such a shame she was so close to enjoying a loving home at last.