The Sault Star (Ontario), April 28, 2005
Disabled pup finds a happy new home on the range at Montana ranch.
Donations send Allie to sanctuary, where she makes a new friend.
By Frank Dobrovnik.
Sault Ste. Marie residents have given a neurologically disabled puppy a new leash - er, lease - on life.
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| Allie and Alayne, happy at the Montana ranch sanctuary. |
Two weeks ago, The Sault Star featured Allie, a four-month old lab/retriever picked up last month wandering around the central part of town and deemed unadoptable.
Allie is believed to have been born with cerebellar hypoplasia, a neurological condition in which the portion of the brain that controls motion is underdeveloped.
But the local clinic where she was dropped off couldn't put her down and resolved to find a home for her at a Montana ranch that shelters disabled animals.
In a matter of days, they had collected more than $1,500 to cover Allie's transportation and a portion of her living expenses, said registered veterinary technician Donna White.
"We want to express our appreciation to everybody. Even those who didn't donate encouraged us and Allie," she said.
Staff drove Allie to Lansing, Mich., Saturday and she flew from there to the Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary Sunday morning.
Co-founder Alayne Marker reports Allie has been "doing great, just super" since arriving and has already made fast friends with Birdie, a year-old lab with muscular dystrophy.
"The make quite a great pair. They love to play together," Marker said.
Animals with the condition, though they appear unwieldy to humans, adapt to living with their jerky and unco-ordinated movements and can expect to live out full, relatively healthy lives.
"We have learned from these guys that even though they're disabled, they're not handicapped," Marker said.
She hopes to get Allie to a vet visit next week to determine what her prospects are for a mobility cart when she's mature.
Well-wishers can continue to make donations in her name at RollingDogRanch.org.
