Now Saving Athena….

***UPDATE*** Between our fundraiser and the DPRPA fundraiser directly on their page, we have raised enough money to support Athena through her surgery and her rehabilitation, and we cannot thank you enough for all of your love, your shares, your prayers, and your very generous donations!! We could not have done this without this amazing community. We will be closing this fundraiser to donations now.

Thank you so very, very much.

ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:

We have had to update this fundraiser to help another severely neglected baby that DPRPA pulled from NYC ACC who is now fighting for her life at the ER…. Scroll down for the medical update and thank you for your time 🙏

This is Athena, formerly known as Creme Brulee….. none of us can believe she’s even alive. Last month we rallied to save Valkyrie, a medical case who came into ACC at only 30lbs with his brother who was in better shape (at 37 lbs, full grown). We thought that was bad….. as usual, the absolutely phenomenal board at DPRPA who we work with very closely (Doberman Pinscher Rescue of PA) responded first by noting that they are over-full and have no available fosters, but once Valkyrie’s urgent situation came to light, they very quickly jumped to save him. Valkyrie (now Link) is doing well in his foster, has been fighting systemic infection and has a great appetite and is putting on weight well now. Thank you so much to everyone who donated, shared, and stepped up to help Link and his brother, who will have excellent futures now.

Fast forward to this past week. I am making this post because I want to be absolutely sure that everyone knows just how far DPRPA bends over backwards to help these babies. I get notified of these dogs day and night and night and day in NYC and the tri-state area, and I know that if a dog shows up in very great need, like this, no matter HOW slammed they are, they will jump in and save them. Without DPRPA, I have absolutely no doubt that Athena would not have survived.

Last week, I got an email from the mother of an NYPD officer. They had just pulled a dog severely neglected and trapped in a crate out of an apartment in queens. All we knew was that she was very underweight and that she was in a precinct in Brooklyn. As usual, I reached out to all of my rescue contacts. As usual, everyone is way over capacity (including DPRPA, who had 3 more coming in at that very moment). But like they always do when a dog shows up in great need, DPRPA scrambled and somehow made it work to get approval to bring her in. So we scrambled to get her picked up at the precinct, but at that same moment the officers were taking her to animal control. One of our very best DGNYC friends went to ACC but of course, as usual, they now wouldn’t release her. DPRPA began to jump through the hoops that it takes to pull a dog from ACC and it took another week to get her out.

What we DIDN’T know, was that this girl was 30 pounds when she came into ACC on a much larger frame than Valkyrie, and after throwing up a sock she lost another 5 pounds. How she is alive, your guess is as good as mine but it must be pure will to live. And love. She is sweetness and love and just wants to carry toys around.

All of that being said, the bottom line here is that DPRPA needs our help to continue to save these dogs. I know we just ran this fundraiser for Valkyrie (now Link), but the link is still active and if you are able to donate anything, every penny will go to help DPRPA save these dogs. You can also donate directly on their website at www.dprpa.org

The amount of messages I’m suddenly receiving at the DGNYC accounts since Penny won at Westminster for new dog owners looking to buy Dobermans is staggering and terrifying. It has gone through the roof very suddenly, which means that the rescue crisis that we are in now can only get worse. Much, much worse. Please, please - begging you - do not even consider bringing a Doberman home if you have not done your research.

If you can spare even a dollar, please support DPRPA. Thank you for your time, and support, and offers to help, and shares 🙏

Medical Update from DPRPA:

Athena was rescued after being found locked inside a crate on someone’s porch. A police officer intervened and she was brought to safety.

When she arrived at the shelter, veterinary notes documented evidence of neglect and severe emaciation. Her body condition score was 2/9. At 4 years old, she weighed barely 30 pounds. She was dehydrated and far too underweight to even be safely spayed.

While in the shelter, she vomited a sock. No abdominal imaging was performed at that time.

Within 32 hours of entering foster care, she began vomiting again. Then came the diarrhea.

We rushed her to emergency.

During surgery, doctors discovered another sock with string attached. Part of it was anchored in her stomach while the rest extended into her small intestines. Multiple incisions were required to remove it safely.

This was a serious obstruction.

Her intestines were extremely inflamed.

During surgery, her blood pressure crashed. She required emergency medications and a plasma transfusion to stabilize her. She remains hospitalized on blood pressure support and is being closely monitored as they attempt to slowly wean those medications.

She now has:

• Multiple abdominal incisions

• A feeding tube in place

• Severe intestinal inflammation

• Ongoing ICU monitoring

Dr. Keto generously performed her spay and preventative gastropexy at no charge while she was already under anesthesia. We are incredibly grateful for that kindness.

Athena will remain hospitalized for at least another 24 hours. She is still experiencing significant diarrhea, and her blood pressure remains the primary concern.

This surgery saved her life.

Emergency abdominal surgery, plasma transfusion, ICU care, and continued hospitalization come at a significant cost. We are asking for your help to cover her life-saving care and ongoing recovery.

She survived being abandoned in a crate.

She survived starvation.

She survived emergency surgery.

Now she needs help surviving recovery.

If you are able to donate, no amount is too small. If you cannot donate, please share.

Every dollar helps us give her the second chance she deserves.