Here's the latest on Cassie the wonder pup who survived being dumped in a garbage heap and having parvo:

*UPDATE: CASSIE HAS BEEN ADOPTED!*

(Scroll down for latest details--click on photos to enlarge them)



When Cassie, the innocent parvo puppy who was found in a trash pile in May, came to Pet Refuge, we didn't think the little girl would ever live long enough to be ready for a "forever" home. She was so sick and malnourished that she was literally on death's door. As you can see above, however, that sickly creature is now a healthy, happy, NORMAL puppy! And she has so many people to thank!!! Her sad story was published in the South Bend Tribune on July 7th and the entire community came to her rescue in an unbelievable outpouring of love and compassion!

Medical bills for Cassie's stay in the hospital were enormous for a non-profit organization such as Pet Refuge. So we asked for the public's help and boy, did we receive it! Cards and checks for "Cassie's Fund" poured in (even from other states) and this now-permanent fund will stay in place for future Pet Refuge dogs and cats who need special help -- such as Cassie did. Pet Refuge wants to thank everyone who cared enough to read Cassie's story and support her.



CASSIE'S NEW HOME: Cassie was only at her first adoption event (7/28/02) for about an hour before a wonderful Michiana family -- who had came to the event to adopt an adorable fluffy puppy named Lucky Haley -- decided that the two dogs should go home together! Oddly enough, Haley's foster mom, Bonnie, a Pet Refge Dog Coordinator, was the volunteer who was at the shelter (along with me) when Cassie was turned over to Pet Refuge on May 24th -- the fateful night that she bravely battled...AND WON...against death.

Since Bonnie has been a dedicated "aunt" to little Cassie all these months and visited her regularly, we are delighted that Bonnie's baby and my baby are going to be "sisters" forever! Haley and Cassie played and romped around for hours on their first meeting as if they were destined to be together. This was the first dog Cassie had every played with and, although it took a short time for Haley to teach her the rules of chasing, jumping, and gently chewing on each other, Cassie took on her new role as BIG SISTER almost immediately!

As Cassie's new journey begins, I -- along with everyone who has met and worked so very hard to help this puppy overcome her illness as well as the abuse she suffered from being carelessly thrown into a trash pile to die -- will miss her terribly, but we know that she is going to live that "happily ever after" she so richly deserves . . .(By Sandra Toney, PR Volunteer/Cassie's Foster Mom)

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING -- ALL OF THE PET REFUGE VOLUNTEERS, OUR LONGTIME PET REFUGE PRESIDENT, SANDY PARR, THE SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE FOR RUNNING HER STORY, AND THE DEDICATED VETERINARIANS (ALONG WITH THEIR STAFF) AT THE ANIMAL EMERGENCY CLINIC AND KRYDER'S VETERINARY CLINIC AND, OF COURSE, PET REFUGE'S MEDICAL DIRECTOR/CASSIE'S GUARDIAN ANGEL, BONNIE RICHARDSON!

AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST . . . OUR GRATITUDE TO AN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY WHO PULLED TOGETHER AND OPENED THEIR HEARTS TO OUR BELOVED CASSIE -- WHO HAS SHOWN EACH AND EVERYONE OF US WHO HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY HER BITTERSWEET STORY.........LOVE DOES INDEED CONQUER ALL!