On November 12, 2018, our Humane Law Enforcement investigators responded to a call about a dog tied up outside of an abandoned house on Garson Avenue in the City of Rochester. When they arrived, they found an older English Bulldog who was lethargic and terribly thin.
The dog (who would later be named Darby) was rushed to the veterinary clinic at Lollypop Farm where she was immediately examined by our veterinary team. Darby was dangerously emaciated, lethargic, and missing large clumps of her fur. She was literally skin and bones.
Yet, despite whatever Darby had been through before coming to the shelter, she loved people! She would roll over on her back on the clinic floor, as if asking for belly rubs from the staff around her. (And she got them.)
Darby was put on a re-feeding program by Dr. Cristina Cadavieco, Medical Director at Lollypop Farm. Re-feeding is a process essential to the survival of pets like Darby. When pets are so severely emaciated, eating a normal amount of food suddenly could actually harm them. Darby was started out with a plan that involved feeding her tiny amounts of food, a little at a time, until she was able to eat larger and larger quantities – a process that can take weeks, or even months.
Since Darby was intentionally abandoned (as opposed to being found wandering as a stray), our Humane Law Enforcement team opened a case to try to identity and charge the individual who had left her behind the house on Garson Avenue. We reached out to our local news stations and fans on social media in an effort to seek out any information related to Darby’s previous owner. While our community went above and beyond to share Darby’s post and spread the word about her, no new information has been found pertaining to the individual who abandoned her.
Darby did, however, gain a whole network of fans in the Rochester community! A number of people sent gifts for Darby, like comfy beds, treats, and toys, and many community members reached out expressing interest in giving Darby a loving home. Donations were also made to Lollypop Farm to support lifesaving care for Darby and other pets just like her.
Today, Darby is still in foster care, gaining weight before she’s ready to become available for adoption. She visits the shelter every now and again to visit her friends in the clinic and get a bath! Although we were unable to locate and charge Darby’s previous owner, we are pleased to say that Darby is now happy, healthy, and on the road to a wonderful life with a new family.
If you are one of the many community members interested in giving Darby a home, please keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates about her availability, and visit www.lollypop.org/dogs regularly.
Make a gift to support Darby and other pets just like her: www.lollypop.org/donate
Meet dogs waiting for homes: www.lollypop.org/dogs
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