PLEASE HELP THE DRC SAVE DAKOTA'S LEG!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is Dakota. She was pulled last night from the PSPCA by two wonderful DRC volunteers, and brought to equally wonderful DRC director Lynne Fowler's home at 11 p.m. last night.

Dakota is a 1-2 yr old Miniature Labradoodle. She was brought in as a stray and she has a compound fracture of the left front distal radius and ulna. She must have been hit by a car. She is currently splinted and on Tramadol for pain. This injury will not heal properly with a cast. Her injuries require orthopedic surgery or an amputation.
Dakota is a very sweet and beautiful girl with a great disposition. Despite her injuries she is very active and ready to play.

Dakota was seen by the vet today, and the prognosis for saving her leg with surgery is excellent. The cost of the surgery will be $3200.
The DRC has committed to saving Dakota's leg and she is having the surgery. Having just also taken in a heartworm positive doodle yesterday, this expense will deplete the DRC's reserves, making it difficult if not impossible to save more doodles from euthanasia in kill shelters across the country.

We ask for so much from you here in the Doodle Kisses forum, and you never let us down. The incredible work that the DRC has done this past year, the doodles who have been saved from abuse, illness, and euthanasia, and who now have loving homes, none of this could have been done without you.
We need your help again. Please help us by donating to Dakota's Fund. Anything you send for this purpose will go directly to the vet bills for Dakota's surgery. We will keep a running total of all the funds donated and update you as they are received, as was done last year for Sophie's fund. Crossposting is appreciated, too.
I know none of us has much to spare these days, especially at this time of year, but anything will help. Anything at all.
Here is a link to the special Paypal account that has been set up for Dakota's surgery:


If you would like to send a check, here is the mailing address:
Doodle Rescue Collective
2 Prospect Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042
Please mark your donations "Dakota's Fund".
If you would like to make your donation in memory or honor of someone special, two or four-legged, we will also be happy to send a card or email to someone telling them of your kind gift in their honor or in memory of their loved one. Just let us know.

Please reach down into your hearts and pockets for Dakota. And thank you so much for your help.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks so much for your kindness, Camilla!

[Sue Robin F]

Karen, I know that Lynne started taking the rescue doodles to my Vet of many years at Red Bank Animal Hospital. I recently fostered a dog and went with her. At that Animal Hospital they have a special fund to help people pay for Vet bills that they cannot afford. It is the Save U.S. pets Foundation. Here is the link. They just had a fundraiser this weekend that I contributed to. They did Santa and pets photos and all the proceeds went to the foundation.
http://www.saveuspets.org/
I am wondering if they would help with Dakota. I am not sure of the eligibility requitrements, but it may be worth looking into.... unless they already did look into this.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Red Bank is the animal hospital where Dakota will be having the surgery, and they know she is one of our rescues, so I'm guessing Lynne checked into this. I'll pass it along just in case. Thanks so much for your help, Sue!

[Sue Robin F]

I just looked it up and this is one of the criteria for the foundation ... so maybe rescue groups do not qualify
1. The animal is owned, has been cared for and has not been neglected. If proof of routine care is not available, the doctor must make a judgment call regarding the overall condition of the pet.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Thank you Sue....and thank you ALL so much for your kindness and generousity! Dakota is a BEAUTIFUL sweet girl who will be restored to perfect health thanks to your donations.

Yes Sue the surgery is to be perfomed by orthopedic vet specialists at Red Bank Animal Hospital but "Save US Pets" is only for individual owners who cannot afford vet care so as an organization we are ineligible for their program. FYI-Red Bank Animal Hospital is not set up at the moment to receive donations directly but I will be speaking with them in the morning to see how we can make that possible.

I would like to share the great news that our NJ non-profit incorporation status was approved 2 weeks ago and we are now officially Doodle Rescue Collective Inc. We are awaiting our non-profit tax exempt 501(c)(3) paperwork from the IRS which has been filed and is pending. While all of our affiliated vets discount vet care for the doodles in our program we will be eligible for many more benefits once we have that paperwork in hand. The process takes a few months.

Thank you all again for your friendship, generosity and support. We could not save doodles like Dakota or do what we do without you.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here is some more information I received from Jacquie about Dakota's condition:

"She has an infection in the tissue surrounding the fracture and bone splinters and fragments that will need to be removed. She is running a slight temperature. ... "compund fracture" means that the bones have actually perforated the skin and are sticking out through the wound. She wlll receive a plate and screws that may or may not have to be removed; It depends on what they find once they get in there."

Here's a photo of what will be done to repair the leg:

X-ray appearance of a radius/ulna fracture stabilized with a plate and screws

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

This looks very much like what they just did to DH's neck ...... funny part is, the plate they used in his neck was the shape of a dog bone!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I hope your DH's surgery was successful!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Thank you Karen. It was very successful. The surgery took care of all of his pain. We were so thankful. Couldn't believe how instant the pain relief was.

[Suzanne & Jack]

Jack and I just gave. Thank you for all that you do to help poor guys. I wish I could do more.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thank you, Suzanne, for your kind heart!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

The kindness, love and the heart of DK members is just incredible!! I am so proud to be part of this incredible family!