Sasha is a pup that was obtained off of Craig’s List to become a service dog for her mom, Heather. Heather is battling multiple health issues and lives on a very low income. When Sasha became ill, and right before the veterinary clinic closed on Friday evening, Heather had the dog seen. Sasha was diagnosed with Parvo, and Heather was told to get her to an emergency clinic right away. Heather and her mom drove up from Pueblo to the Animal Emergency Care Center, where they completed the Harley’s Hope application for assistance. We were told that Sasha’s illness was caught early, so she received fluids and medication.

Parvo is a viral disease that can produce life-threatening illnesses. In this case, the family had an appointment set for after the first of the month for Sasha’s first set of shots, but she was exposed to the disease before that could happen. Our recommendation is to not get your pets off of Craig’s List! Adopt from a reputable rescue or shelter where your animal has been vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and microchipped. There, you will get documentation that all of those services were provided. The adoption fee you pay is a fraction of what you would pay for all of those services if you obtained them yourself. Parvo can be prevented with a series of vaccinations, and this situation with Sasha could have been prevented by getting her at a reputable breeder or shelter.