KATIE

We were first notified about Katie by our friends at Husky Camp Rescue who had gone to the Bakersfield Shelter to check out Colonel for us. When they found and evaluated Colonel, the staff there told them about ANOTHER white GSD, a 5-6 month old female puppy. Husky Camp called and asked if we could take two, and so we agreed and made plans to transport when the dogs became available on January 4th.

We anxiously watched the shelter's website and, on the day that the dogs became available to the public, Katie "disappeared." We thought for sure that she had been adopted -- After all, how long can a cutie like this remain unadopted? We hoped that the little girl had gone to a wonderful home and continued our plans to transport Colonel.

Lisa went to the shelter to pick up Colonel on Saturday, January 9th. She had completed the paperwork and was almost ready to leave the shelter when someone asked her, "Aren't you going to take the little girl, too?" Lisa was shocked! Apparently, unbeknownst to us, the little girl (now named Katie) had started to come down with kennel cough, and so she had been removed from the adoption floor (and from the shelter's website) and moved to the hospital wing of the shelter. Thankfully, our rescue hold was still on her and Lisa was able to save her as well.

Katie and Colonel will be coming to the valley as soon as transport can be arranged. In the meantime, Lisa is taking good care of them in Hesperia. Both dogs will need a foster (or foster-to-adopt) home to go to immediately upon arrival. They will be up-to-date on shots, microchipped and spayed/neutered (after being given some time to settle in).

UPDATE 1/13: Katie's foster mom reports that Katie has taken ill. We don't know whether it's just a URI (upper respiratory infection), kennel cough or something worse. With a puppy this age (Katie is believed to be about 4 months of age--younger than the shelter's "guesstimate"), without proper vaccinations (which we are sure Katie's owners did not provide), they don't have much (if any) immunity and, while this is not the traditional "parvo season," we always have worries about that disease as well. Katie will be receiving the best of care with Lisa and we will update her bio as soon as we know something concrete.

UPDATE 1/14: Katie spiked a very high fever today (106+). She's on fluids and antibiotics, and her fever was quickly brought down to near normal. She's drinking but not eating, and her spirits are good.

UPDATE 1/15 AM: An early morning call from Katie's foster mom Lisa told us that Katie had a very bad night. We believe that she has contracted distemper, a disease which unfortunately can sometimes be cured but which almost always leaves lasting effects. Lisa will be taking Katie in this morning. We know that she will make the right decisions and do what's best for Katie. We'll update later this afternoon...

UPDATE 1/15 PM: We are very sad to report that Katie has gone to Rainbow Bridge... We take comfort in the fact that we were able to offer her a few days of love and care and that she passed in the loving arms of her foster mom who loved her and not in the hands of strangers.