THE LOVELY FUND

Upon seeing Lovely's condition when we arrived to temperament test her and her siblings at a local shelter, we immediately postponed the temperament testing to rush her to the vet for medical attention. Lovely was emaciated, completely bald, covered in oozing sores, and swollen all over, particularly in her legs and feet. As though she knew we were there to help, Lovely used her last vestiges of energy to lick the assessor's face and lean into her for comfort, before trying to take a few steps after her to the car. It was the last time she would be semi-aware and stand up to try to walk on her own.

The vet was not optimistic, but agreed to make Lovely comfortable and began treating her multiple, serious, infections with IV medication while waiting for blood test results. He cautioned us that Lovely would probably not be well enough to survive the night, never mind the treatment needed for her mange. Lovely was anemic, starving, and severely dehydrated. She had a loud heart murmur which meant the infection had moved into her heart wall, and the swelling in her legs and feet likely indicated kidney failure.

Lovely survived the night, but remained in a light coma throughout. In the morning, her blood work came back indicating that all her organ systems were shutting down - she could not be saved.

Lovely was let go in peace on the afternoon of May 24th, 2007.

Lovely's condition and subsequent death was entirely preventable. Had she not been so grossly neglected by a breeder who cared nothing for the health of his animals; had she not been the result of a breeding driven by greed rather than a desire to produce quality, healthy dogs; had she received medical care earlier, she would not have died. Even the veterinarian said he'd never seen a dog so horribly affected by mange, and had an angry tear in his eyes when he talked about the breeder who threw Lovely out like a piece of garbage when she was no longer "sellable" due to his own neglect.

We comfort ourselves in knowing that at the very least; Lovely's last few hours were pain free, and not alone. We're also comforted in the fact that we are able to save her family. Please, help us help more dogs like Lovely avoid this terrible fate.

In memory of Lovely, who we were too late to help, HugABull has created a donation fund which will be reserved for providing medical care to shelter Pit Bulls who have health issues which limit their adoptability, focusing especially on Pit Bulls suffering from demodectic mange.

Demodectic mange, or "demodex", is a common affliction in young Pit Bull's who've experienced neglect and significant stress before arriving in the shelter system. It is not contagious, and with treatment, affected dogs generally recover fully. However, the treatment is very costly. One dog with generalized demodex, costs on average, $1000 to treat (vet care, food, shampoos, supplements), and will need to remain in foster care, on medication, for several months.

Please, let's not let anymore dogs die needlessly. Your donations are gratefully accepted:

Dogs currently benefiting from the Lovely Fund:

Gabe Gabe's life has been very difficult prior to coming into HugABull's foster program. He was kept for breeding and owned by an unsavory character who was breeding dogs for fighting, and isolated in an outdoor dog run most of the time. Gabe was kept with two younger, larger dogs who beat him up, and has terrible facial scars as a result. His ears have been cropped in a terrible home-crop job, which has left him with no external ear. His tail was docked also. Despite all of this, Gabe is a gentle, loving boy, who gets on well with other dogs, including his two canine foster sisters.

Mason Mason arrived at the Vancouver pound early in the year. With his eyes nearly swollen shut, and his body missing fur and covered in sores, this old guy's spirit shone through! He could barely see, yet everyone that came to his kennel door was greeted with a full body wag. Not knowing exactly what his condition was, HugABull knew this guy needed immediate care. A foster home was found, which is where Mason is now recovering. Being treated for mange, and severe allergies, it is HugABull's hope that this awesome boy makes a full recovery!

Thanks to your generosity, the following dogs are all fully recovered and have been adopted into loving homes...

Holly (before and after): We're not sure what exactly this little cutie's breed mix is, perhaps a Dogo/Pit cross - regardless, she's 100% adoraBULL! This little sweetheart is a classic example of why health testing and responsible breeding are so important - Holly was born deaf, a common occurence in all white dogs. Holly was also born with hip dysplasia on one side, but luckily in her case it was treatable, and has since been corrected with a procedure called a femoral head ostomy. Holly is recovering well from her surgery, and will have full use of her leg once it's fully healed. Being deaf doesn't hold Holly back - she's a smart little pup, and her foster family is training her using a flashlight as a clicker. Deaf dogs make wonderful companions.

Pocoyo (now Gizmo) (before and after): Poco wound up at the shelter when her owner realized just how much work a bullie puppy can be. The shelter is no place for a Pit Bull puppy to grow up, so we made room for this little firecracker in our foster program.

Beefcake (before and after): Hubba hubba - This chunky little love muffin knows he's got it goin' on! Don't let his tough looks fool you, this boy is a complete pussycat, who just wants to snuggle. "Beef" was abandoned by his owners in a local park, tied out in the cold with a "free" sign. A dog lover picked him up and brought him to the shelter, where he quickly caught our eye, both because of his lovely temperament, and because of his obvious need for vet care. .

Gorgeous George (before and after): Gorgeous is a supremely confident being. She knows, without any doubt, that everybody she meets already loves her, and the world is one big party in her honor! Gorgeous knows she’s beautiful; you don’t need to tell her! This girl is a fat and sassy little pot roast, with such a sense of fun – everything is a game with her, to be carried out at mach ten! George is crazy about everyone she meets; kids, adults, dogs, cats, although she can be a bit overwhelming for some of the four-legged critters. Gorgeous is extremely loving and affectionate; everything a Pit Bull should be.

Lovely Bree (before and after): Lovely Bree, like her late sister she was named for, is a shy, sweet girl who loves to give kisses and snuggle. She’s a bit unsure of the world, but wags her tail hopefully at anyone who approaches. We have no doubt that with some TLC and time, this girl will be as full of personality as Gorgeous George (okay, well maybe not such a LOUD personality as Georgie), and we look forward to getting to know her.

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Jolie (before and after): Jolie is a girl who’s as pretty as her name. Sweet and submissive with other animals, but eagerly pushes past everyone to be the first to give kisses and be petted. Jolie was the favourite dog of the vet staff, because she would always try to wiggle towards them, and then crawl in their laps, not matter if she was having blood drawn, getting an injection, or taking her meds. Seeing this girl, who was initially too frightened and sick to walk, now running around having a blast on the farm where she’s recovering is priceless. Jolie is great with everyone she meets, two-legged or four, and has lots to say to them (she’s a bit of a talker). She will be a great little ambassadog!