Saturday, October 18th, 2008 at
7:59 am
In April, I told you about Princess, a Great Dane that was found severely starved and sick. Luckily, animal control saw something in her and decided rather then euthanize her, to try to give her a second chance.
Although she only lived a couple of months more, she grew to be a wonderfully happy dog until her cancer took her.
Her abuser was caught but there was no justice for Princess! Just the pictures from when she was found are heartbreaking! Read more in the original story I posted.
Read her story from the vet who took her in and how this poor girl was denied the justice she should have received. What happened should never have happened and hopefully now will not happen again!
Written by Craig J. Blair, DVM, Lexington
Readers may recall hearing several months ago about the plight of an abused Great Dane named Princess. Upon hearing of this tragedy, I took her in and provided for her medical care at the Clays Mill Veterinary Clinic in Lexington. Now, four months after her death and three months after the settlement of her court case, I would like to offer a summary of her tragic life and the people who conspired to snatch justice away from her.
Princess was confiscated from Virgil Whitaker in Knox County on April 8. When officials arrived they found the dog starved, weighing only 75 pounds, and suffering from a large tumor on her left front leg. Just outside her small pen was a covered garbage can containing bags of dog food.
At our clinic, Princess was diagnosed with the following problems: malignant bone cancer, heartworm infection, a “bedsore” on her right hip, extreme starvation, respiratory and urinary tract infections, inflammation of the kidneys and severe periodontal disease. Her spirit certainly was not ill. From the day she entered our lives she never stopped wagging her tail or looking for treats.
By April 22, Princess had gained 30 pounds and was ready for surgery. Less than 12 hours after the amputation she was able to stand and walk. She came to our house on April 24 and quickly adapted to life as a house dog. In late June, Princess rapidly deteriorated and x-rays confirmed the cancer had spread throughout her lungs. Princess was allowed to die with all the dignity that Whitaker had previously stolen from her.
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