Special Needs Dogs Rescued; Funds Needed For Surgery - WCMH: News, Weather, and Sports for Columbus, Ohio

Two Madison County dogs were rescued on the same day, but both with very different special needs.

Hope is a 12-month-old beagle mix found tied and abandoned and with a limp that made her walk in circles. An x-ray revealed a shattered pelvis, that a vet tech from the Humane Society of Madison County said was likely from a run-in with an automobile.

Willy Valentine, a 5-year-old coon hound, was brought in the same day as Hope, but with more visible signs of trauma. Megan Rammel treated Willy and said as he grew his chain-leash became embedding in his neck because it was not adjusted.  Willy is recovering from his neck injury when Rammel said his heart worm test came back positive.

Hope will need surgery to repair her pelvis, estimated to cost $1,000 and Willy Valentine with need two injections for his heart worm treatment costing $400 to $500. Rammel said they depend on donated funds to the Sheba/Noelle Fund to pay for these kinds of special needs animals, but that fund is depleted.

The urgent need for donated funds for special needs animals is not an isolated issue.

Cheryl Mandell is with Friends of the Shelter, a non-profit organization established to fund the medical care of sick and injured dogs at the Franklin County Dog Shelter.

"We fund the medical care of nearly 350 dogs every year, costing more than $100,000," Mandell said.

100 percent of Sheba/Noelle donated funds and 97 percent of Friends of the Shelter funds go toward special needs animals. Both organizations use an all volunteer staff and do not receive funding from national organizations or the government.