What if you could get treatment for every heartworm positive dog in your shelter? One organization in North Carolina found a way to do just that, and have seen the adoptions of these dogs soar!
From the Star-News:
The Brunswick County shelter began treating its heartworm-positive dogs six months ago in an effort to place more animals in permanent homes.
Typically, heartworm-positive dogs languish on adoption row, overlooked by potential adopters who are reluctant to spend hundreds of dollars on veterinary care for an animal they don’t know.
Heartworm – a common parasite, caused by foot-long worms that live in the heart, lungs and blood vessels of pets – is treatable, particularly if it’s caught early. But medication is expensive, and few animal shelters have leftover funds to funnel toward large vet bills.
“Usually, a rescue group would come in and take them, but that’s just passing the problem along,” said Heather Hunt, the facility’s adoption outreach coordinator. “So we started taking donations to fund a treatment program here.”
The shelter partnered with an area veterinarian who provides the medication, known as immiticide, to the facility at a discounted price.
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