Crystal Kerr

Crystal Kerr

AAS gets many phone calls and emails like this one from Crystal Kerr who does animal rescue all on her own in a village up the coast of B.C. where life is pretty basic and rough, especially for the dogs. Crystal was paying for all the spays and neuters and surgeries needed to repair dogs injured and abandoned in this village.

Now AAS is helping to foot the bills and getting the dogs down to Vancouver, and the veterinary care they need (no matter how expensive), and the kind of responsible homes that every dog deserves.

Crystal and AAS worked together to save the lives of Angelo, Billy, Bobby, Patches, and little Panda shown with Crystal

July 21, 2001
Dear Judy, Thank you for all your help and advice. The "family" (of the pup we call Bobby — click here to see Bobby) said they do not want to take care of a partially blind dog (one of their chilren poked Bobby in the eye with a stick), and they don't care what I do with it, so I appreciate your help greatly. He is approximately 5-7 months old, a husky, shepherd, lab mix, mostly black with white paws, floppy ears, and a white stripe on his nose. He is extremely affectionate, good natured and easy going. (Bobby is now in an AAS foster home and being treated by our vet, Dr Alf Burt of Marine Drive Veterinary Hospital, North Vancouver and Dr Bussanich of the Knight Road Opthalmic Clinic in Vancouver.)

I hate to say this, but right after I talked to you, I found another puppy, probably four months old, who was trying to walk and dragging his back legs behind him. (This is the pup we call Billy - click here to see Billy.) I went to the house that I had seen him outside of before and asked if he was theirs and what was wrong with him? The woman told me that it was her daughter's, but they don't let it in the house and that it was hit by a car about a week ago! They didn't even bother to call a vet or try to send him down. She says the other dogs bite at his back legs and he hasn't been able to get around very well. She's not interested in sending him to the vet, so I said I would and she agreed. Help! He is all white with little floppy black ears, and a brown spot on one eye. I know that the mother dog who lives across the street is unspayed, about five years old and has two litters every year. I have seen three of her litters so far. I have convinced her "owners" to let me get her spayed, so I am thinking of sending them down at the same time. Other than being unspayed, and always pregnant, she is fairly healthy, so she should be fine back here. I am just very concerned about the puppy. He is very timid. He is sweet too though. He doesn't know me well, and hasn't had much hands-on exposure with people, but when I stop to check on him, he gives a little nervous woof and then comes over with the other dogs that just wander in packs. Food brings him running. He is very soft mouthed when I feed him, although he is malnourished and quite hungry all the time, worms too I'm sure. He is hopping around a little better with his back legs, but he definitely has some troubles in the hind quarters.
—Crystal

Yes — send him down and we'll pick him up from the airport and get him to our vet, Dr Alf Burt of Marine Drive Vet in North Vancouver.
Judy

Dear Judy, Looking out the window, I am a little concerned that the plane may be delayed a bit today, because it is foggy out right now, which looks like it may burn off soon though. I will call you as soon as I know for sure. (Billy arrived and was picked up by AAS'er Vicky Tang who brought him to our vet where has been x-rayed and is resting.)

July 27, 2001
Dear Judy, The previous "owners" of Bobby called me last night at 10:30pm and said that they got a new puppy. Unfortunately, they said they got two, but only want one and wanted to know if I wanted one. I asked how old it is (it is only 4 weeks!), and that I would see if I knew anyone who wanted a puppy. He said that I better hurry because they don't want two dogs in the house and he was going to "set it free" outside. Yes, my jaw did drop. But I convinced him to keep it in last night and said that I would pick it up today. Judy, do you think that I am helping?
—Crystal

What else can you do given what goes on all the time? Where is the mother? Can she get spayed? Four weeks! Just learning to walk... no mother's milk...(will send puppy formula, she needs to still nurse for the comfort it gives)... wormy... outside and on her own at 4-5 weeks!. Tell me if we can help with this one too.
Judy

Judy, if we end up moving back to Vancouver after we are done here, I look forward to volunteering with AAS, driving, fostering, you name it. Thank you so much Judy. You made my day!
—Crystal

Of course Crystal is helping, and thank God she is. And it's women like Crystal who keep us going — refusing to give up even when we have no money, no time, and there's hundreds more dogs waiting for us. But why are so many women doing this all on their own? And why do little organizations like AAS, with tiny budgets, have to struggle to pay the bills?

I could never turn my back on anything that I felt was suffering in any way. Sometimes it feels like more of a burden than anything, and I do sometimes wish that I could just go through life oblivious. But, that's not the case.What you said about how yo uwere always careful not to step on bugs. I hate it when it rains in the city because the worms get washed onto the sidewalk and road and I have to pick them up and put them back on the grass. Sometimes, I'll avoid streets that I know there are going to be alot more worms.
—Crystal

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