Pet Calendar

You will remember that Cindy Lou had the tumor on her face removed, which Walter’s Fund contributed to. We knew it would grow back at some point, so we didn’t know how long she had.  Unfortunately, she didn’t have very long.  But she had a great 6 months, and those 6 months were likely the best months of Cindy Lou’s life.

Cindy Lou was selected for “Project Homebound”, the prison dog program Athenspets & Athens-Clarke County started last year, in which selected dogs live at ACC Corrections and inmates care for and train them. Cindy Lou spent her days with the 10 men in the program, learning basic obedience and enjoying play time with the other dogs in the program. It was perfect for Cindy Lou; she had been stressed at the shelter because of the confinement and boredom, but at Project Homebound she flourished and was a star student. The mental work calmed her in a way no amount of physical exercise seemed to.

We’d hoped she would have an opportunity to graduate from the program and find a home, but life had different plans. Over a 48-hour period in early June, her face swelled up. Upon exam, the vet found that her jaw bone up into her eye socket had died as a result of the earlier tumor; the damage was too extensive to remove and too painful to allow her to go on in that condition.

Staff made the decision to give Cindy Lou a final few days (with good pain meds) so the men who had been her handlers and the volunteers who had spent so much time with her could say good-bye. She got doggy day-outs, pupsickles, and lots of love. And then she said good-bye.

On a happier note, Lisa put together this set of photos of some of the pets we helped in 2023.  Magnolia Cupcake (older dog at the top right corner) reminds me a bit of our Walter.

We began 2023 with $4,329.69 in Walter’ Fund, and Balloon Juice peeps donated $3,430.73 to Athenspets in 2023, even without an actual calendar!

Lisa shares information about all the pets (pictured above) that were helped by Walter’s Fund in 2023:

These funds have helped 9 animals receive life saving care (clockwise from upper left):

🌸Ikaros: amputation of leg (adopted)

🌸Magnolia Cupcake (far right in photo): senior pup who needed a dental/extractions (she was also treated for heartworms by the shelter) (adopted)

🌸Kira: was living in an abusive home; funding meant we could get her basic vetting done and send her to a rescue in Canada (in a foster home, adoption pending)

🌸Gloria: leg amputation (in a foster home)

🌸Van Helsing: pain management after femoral head ostectomy (adopted)

🌸Peaches: ultrasound (adopted)

🌸In center: Sadie: anterior cruciate ligament repair (adopted)

In addition (but I don’t have photos), 🌸Remi (lab mix puppy) received a leg amputation (her owners had surrendered her to a vet to euthanize since they couldn’t afford it; adopted) and 🌸Axel (dental with extractions; adopted).

The support Balloon Juice has provided means so much to so many of us; seeing these precious animal go from suffering to healthy and loved is amazing. So many thanks for your support through the year!

In case anyone is thinking of year end giving, right now we have matching funds ($6500 left) for donations received through the end of the year.

Many thanks! Lisa (and all of Athenspets!)