In the remote mountain town of Pittsburg in New Hampshire, a puppy named Holly survived thanks to the compassion and determination of the people there.
In what surely would have been an awful and painful ending for the 12-week-old Treeing Walker Coonhound, who was found abandoned and badly hurt, now has a happy and hopeful start.
In November, a couple found the dog—left to die and suffering from a badly broken jaw.
That’s when Kim Meikle, who has been saving animals for 30 years, was called in to assess the situation and help out.
After seeing the extent of Holly’s broken jaw and getting approval from a town selectman, Meikle rushed the puppy to Colebrook Veterinary Hospital in Colebrook, New Hampshire. X-rays revealed that the dog’s jaw was so badly broken, that she’d need specialized medical care.
With that news, Meikle put up a GoFundMe page in order to help Holly.
Meikle says that within just six hours, the page had nearly $800 in donations, but once the story hit the news and social media, the outpouring skyrocketed. In fact, the GoFundMe page went overthe $8,000 needed to help Holly.
Holly’s X-rays were sent to a specialist at the Portland Maine Animal Emergency and Surgical Care Clinic.
“Holly underwent a CT scan and the results were horrific,” Meikle explains to BeChewy. “Both sides of her jaw were broken. One side will heal: not perfect, but functional. The other side was just gone, shattered. The vet believes this poor dog suffered this injury over five weeks ago. A lot of the bone had died, and [some of] her teeth were falling out as well. The vet performed surgery to remove the broken off dead pieces of bone. The plan is she goes back in four weeks for another CT scan and we see if more of the bone has continued to die.”
While those details are awful, Meikle hopes that the bones recover as she grows, but Holly may have to have her entire lower left jaw removed.
Still, Holly is a puppy with a second chance, despite her horrible start at life.
“Holly will look funny, her tongue will hang out, but she can eat, she can bark and she is happy,” Meikle says.
Holly will remain in Meikle’s care until the proper adoptive parent is found. Until then, Holly is getting the attention she always deserved. “Holly doesn’t know how bad her injuries are,” says Meikle. “She is happy upbeat, runs around like a maniac, she can bark, play, eat…she just has no idea how injured she is.”
Of course, that blessing came courtesy of Meikle and the people of Pittsburg.
“We are such a small town, but [everyone] came together donating food, blankets, treats, toys, anything anyone could give,” she says. “We all love animals up here, so to have something this bad happen in our town was difficult, but the community support has made the difference.”
While Meikle and all of Holly’s supporters are still waiting on the animal cruelty charges being brought to those who committed this terrible act, the town is still doing things for the greater good.
In addition to the GoFundMe page, donations were sent to Meikle by check, which she and the town will now use to help other stray or ailing animals in the area.
“Out of something horrible happening to one little dog, something better has happened for any future injured animals.”
Image via Town of Pittsburg NH puppy fund GoFundMe page
Aly Semigran is a lifestyle writer for the world, and roommate of Ruby, the cutest dog in the world.
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