Almost the Last Dog Gassed

Grover is saved from death twice. Then a third time by Animal Advocates.

 

Click photos to enlarge

 

Funny-looking little Grover was afraid of men, so the pound in Elliot Lake, Ontario labelled him "unadoptable". Being unadoptable got Grover put on the death list. Poor little Grover was the final dog waiting to be gassed.

But at the last minute Grover won a reprieve! Luckily for Grover some good people in Elliot Lake held a televised demonstration against the gas chamber. Citizens were shocked and angry, demanding an end to the gas chamber. See photos of the Elliot Lake gas chamber and the protest below.

Elliott Lake councillors (who it's hard to believe didn't know how cheaply the Elliott Lake pound was killing dogs), heard the voters and had the gas chamber shut down. See the video below.

Grover was saved from the gas chamber, but not from being put down by injection if no one adopted him.

Grover got lucky again when he was adopted by animal-lover Katelyn.

But when Grover developed chronic peri-anal fistulation and the cost to treat it was beyond the means of Katelyn's family, Grover's life was saved a third time, this time by Animal Advocates. AAS was found online and appealed to for help. We said Yes, of course because that is what we do.

Sharron, Katelyn's grandmother, described heart-breaking agony when Grover tried to have a bowel movement: "His cries of pain were so terrible that they made people cringe. Even grown men wanted to cry. He's such a awesome dog, but we knew we had to put him down to end his suffering." AAS knew we just had to help Grover.

First we contacted Dr. Belanger of Manitoba Road Veterinary Clinic to arrange with him that we were undertaking Grover's care and all his bills. A course of anti-biotics and steroid ointment was tried. When they didn't cure the condition, stronger anti-biotics and more powerful ointments were tried. When they didn't work, we gave the go-ahead for surgical removal of the anal glands.

We wish we could say that that was Grover's happy ending, but it's not yet. Although Grover was now able to have bowel movements without crying, and for the first time in many months he was a smiling and happy boy, there were courses of expensive immune-suppressant and antibiotics still to go through before we could sound the all clear.

AAS's expenses to bring Grover this far are $3,475.26 (as of October 3, 2013). But there may be months of expensive immune-suppressant drugs to pay for yet. If you would like to help Grover, please make a donation.

November 2014 Update

Grover has healed at long last. He is now and forever a happy, loved, busy boy.

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