Mary Puppins didn't have an easy start to life. Unloved, terrified, and with an illness that could easily have killed her, Mary very nearly didn't make it through her first year.
But thanks to generous donations from the community, we had the skills, equipment and capacity to give Mary Puppins the best chance at life.
"Mary Puppins was absolutely petrified of people when she first arrived at our shelter," remembers Mandy Doolan, Adoption Centre Manager at Lort Smith Campbellfield.
Our trainers worked on building Mary's confidence and restoring her faith in people. Over time, fearful Mary began to show her loving, playful side, and soon became a firm favourite at the Adoption Centre. "We watched her blossom," Mandy says. "It was really special to see."
We watched her blossom. It was really special to see.
Mandy Doolan, Adoption Centre Manager
A New Year's Eve emergency
But on New Year's Eve, Mary's triumph almost turned to tragedy. She began vomiting, became extremely lethargic, and was off her food. Her foster carer rushed her to Lort Smith Animal Hospital for help.
Thankfully, our vets had on-site access to sophisticated diagnostic facilities and equipment, including pathology and X-ray machines, which helped them find the source of her pain: Mary Puppins had an obstructed intestine, a condition that could easily have become fatal.
Our surgeons performed an enterotomy to remove the blockage and, while doing so, found that Mary's intestines were inflamed and grey. She was in very grave danger of peritonitis, a potentially deadly infection of the abdomen. Mary was moved to the ICU.
Her best life
When we look back over Mary's story, the work of Lort Smith and its supporters is clear every step of the way. Working together, our vets, shelter staff, volunteers and supporters were able to first protect her, then house her, and ultimately heal her.
Two months after her ordeal, Mary Puppins was adopted into a loving new home, and instantly bonded with her new sibling, a boisterous chocolate Labrador. She's now living what can only be described as her best life.
Mary Puppins' story could very easily have had a different ending, if not for the extraordinary care of the Lort Smith staff and volunteers, and the generosity of everyone who donated.