At Nest Community Shelter, we are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all our guests, each of whom has a unique story to share. Last week, we had a particularly poignant story that underscored the incredible support and generosity of our community.
A guest arrived at the shelter one evening late last week with a service dog. Normally, we do not allow pets to come into the shelter, which we do recognize can be an obstacle for some to seek assistance, but we cannot safely house animals and people together. However, this was a different circumstance as this was a service animal, which we do allow. That evening, the guest settled in for the night with their service dog, but it became clear by morning that the animal was injured. The guest said a door had shut on the small dog’s face a few weeks back, causing an injury that was worsening.
Throughout the day, it became clear that the dog would need to see a veterinarian. This posed a unique challenge for Nest Community Shelter, one that we had not faced before. The dog needed to be seen by a veterinarian, yet the guest didn’t have the money to cover a bill for the dog. While we were committed to ensuring the animal received care, as a donation-based organization, our funds are extremely limited, and we don’t have an allowance for veterinary care. This was a difficult situation.
We called out on social media- for any local area veterinarian willing to look at the dog at no charge. We hoped that someone would see the message and help would be found. Our community’s support was instant and abundant. We watched as the post spread like wildfire across community pages, individual pages, and beyond. Our inbox filled with messages of community members offering support and even dog food for the injured animal.
A veterinarian in La Porte answered our urgent plea: All Creature Features Animal Hospital of La Porte. Nest staff rushed the guest to the veterinarian with their beloved companion. As the incredible Dr. Pinks at All Creature Features Animal Hospital examined the dog, it became clear that the animal wasn’t just injured but, in fact, gravely ill. Dr. Pinks explained the situation with such compassion and care to our shelter guest that it touched the hearts of Nest staff.
The choice was made for the comfort of the dog to euthanize the animal, which was a devastating outcome to the story. Through it all, Dr. Pinks has remained compassionate and professional. Meanwhile, the community continued to seek updates via social media. When the announcement was made that the dog had passed away, our social media channels and inboxes were flooded with notes of condolences to our guest for their loss.
A few days later, Nest staff went to pick up the cremated remains of the dog for our shelter guest. A beautiful card was included, and the staff even took the time to stamp the dog’s nose and paws on a card so our guest would always have something special to remember their companion by.
Our shelter has rallied around this guest as they work through the devastating loss. This tragic incident has acted as a catalyst for the guest to seek the treatment they need. When shelter staff asked the guest what they would like to do with the dog’s remains, the client responded by saying that they wanted to be healed and that they were of clear mind to make a final decision on where to spread their companion’s ashes. In the meantime, the ashes remain tucked away for safekeeping for the shelter guest as they now support our guest’s goal for health and rehabilitation.
This story, while tragic, demonstrates the incredible support that is possible from our community. We want to thank all of those who went out of their way to help. We also want to thank the staff at All Creatures Features Animal Hospital in La Porte for their outstanding and compassionate care. Additionally, we want to thank Dr. Pinks for their incredible professionalism, heart, and understanding. Thank you to all who came together to support our guest and her beloved friend. It truly takes a community!
If you would like to get involved at Nest Community Shelter or donate so that we can continue to serve our guests as they work through obstacles and struggles, we encourage you to do so. It truly does take a village!
