Sparkey 2008

Please email Debi at dbd10@msn.com for a receipt for your tax deductible donation, and let Debi know you'd like your donation to go to Sparkey's care. All funds are used for medical care for our wonderful fox terriers. If we are blessed with enough for Sparkey, have no fear, other dogs are always in need of your support.

Sparkey will be forever grateful. Even the smallest of donations will help begin healing this wonderful dog.

When the economy gets bad who are the first casualties? From Thanksgiving to Christmas 2007 my rescue, ATRA, got over ten SOS calls from desperate people needing to give up their wires. One of these calls was about Sparkey.

Sparkey's family was divorced, so 6 year old Sparkey lived with his dad in an apartment. He was blind, but other than dry eye it was unclear what caused the blindness. In November 2007 his owner was evicted from his apartment. Desperate, the owner considered euthanizing Sparkey. Luckily for Sparkey a compassionate neighbor named Stephanie took him in despite the fact that the apartment had a 1 dog policy and she already had one. A few weeks before Christmas she was caught, so she drove Sparkey to rescue with a bag of special food and a basket of toys. Many tears were shed as Stephanie would have loved to have kept him.

Sparkey had been through separation before including leaving his family's 12 yr. old boy whom Sparkey adored. Now he had another adjustment to make ... being one of 24 dogs in rescue.
The enlarged nature of eyes and the tendency to recoil from having anything touch his face made me certain he had glaucoma. He also slept a lot, but still, he learned the lay of the land and never had an accident in the house finding and using the doggy door right away. That first night we felt so bad for Sparkey that we decide to take him to his new Vet's Christmas party. He was a big hit! Everyone made a fuss over him and worried about the pain he must have from the pressure in his eyes. He perked up with so much attention, soaking in the love. His manners were impeccable. What a gentleman! I was so proud of him!

Within a week his eyes became obviously problematic and painful and not just a case of dry eye. We went to the vet and the next day he was scheduled for bilateral enucleations (removal of both eyes). Sparkey's new Vet made sure Sparkey had good pain control with Fentanyl skin patch so that he would have a constant perfusion of pain killers for 3 days, as well as oral pain meds.
Within 24 hours he was a new dog. Now free from what must have been horrific pain he now showed his spunky terrier personality.

It's strange, but when I look at Sparkey I see his eyes. There are dark points on the slightly sunken areas where his eyes once were. Once his eyebrows grow back it will be hard to tell he lost them. He reminds me a lot in personality and looks of "Ike" from Mark Teague's "Dear Mrs. LaRue" book. Sparkey would like to take the opportunity to thank all of you who donated to the Fox Terrier Rescue fund for helping out with his vet bills!

Tail wags and wet muzzle kisses!
Ruth and Sparkey

Help Sparkey move on in his journey and his road to recovery! Please donate to Fox Terrier Rescue!

To learn about our puppy mill dogs, go to http://www.foxterrierrescue.net/Millstory.htm . The extraordinary donations that were received from the general public allowed these dogs to get the care they needed, and also care for other mill dogs that have since come in to rescue.

We can never thank you enough for your generosity in helping to save dogs’ lives.

For donations to the General AFTR fund to help these and other dogs in the care of Fox Terrier Rescue, you can donate via PayPal using your Credit Card or send a check to:

Fox Terrier Rescue
c/o Debi Drake
AFTR Treasurer
6209 Twenty Year Chase
Columbia, MD 21045

and Debi will send you a receipt for your donation. We will be forever grateful. Even the smallest of donations will help to begin healing these wonderful dogs.

Click on the link below to donate by credit card via PayPal. Please send Debi Drake an email giving her your address information so she can send you a receipt for your tax deductible donation. Email Debi at dbd10@msn.com