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A life of neglect; sometimes they have it written all over their face, their body and their soul. If you are animal lover, seeing that look of deprivation, fear and helplessness in a pet, just about rips your heart out. I find it especially gut wrenching when it’s an older animal that has obviously suffered for years. Such is the case with our little Bonita, a mixed breed dog who was found in Bridgeton and is about 10-years-old.

She has a laundry list of physical issues and has that look in her soulful eyes as if she has carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. When I first laid eyes on her, she was lying on a bed in her intake kennel, head down, eyes following me but too afraid to acknowledge me in this strange new place. Defeated. That was the word that came to mind as soon as I saw her.

Obviously, this would not do. Anything and everything that could be done to make sure this poor little girl never suffers adversity again needed to start happening that minute.

First step – get her medical attention. She had a terrible flea infestation and from the looks of her, she had suffered the parasites for a very long time. She has huge bald patches on her back, tail and legs, where her skin was red with irritation and open sores.

This is Bonita. This photo offers only a glimpse into the suffering and neglect that she has known during her life. She came to the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter with flea infestation, parasites, irritated skin, open sores, hematomas on both of her ears, a mass on one of her paws and other medical issues. But, now she is getting the love and care she deserves.

She was very thin and needed to be treated for tapeworms caused by her flea infestation. What was really telling though, were the hematomas on both her ears. Her left ear is bent and shriveled from an old hematoma and right ear is blown up like a balloon, full of fluid from scratching furiously at her itchy skin.

She has a mass on her right front leg that will need to be removed and tested when she is spayed. Her teeth are broken and decayed. She also shows signs of having had many, many litters of puppies. Given her overall condition, I can only imagine the fate of all those pups.

So, moving forward, how do we get Bonita on the right path?

Two things are critically important; getting her medical needs treated and helping her recover her spirit.

She is very lovable and the staff has been lavishing her with attention to help her feel safe and give her a reason to trust humans. She was put on flea and tick preventative right away as well as intestinal parasite treatment and antibiotics for her skin.

Now that she’s gaining weight and feeling a little better, the veterinarian will decide whether it’s best to drain her ear or let it heal on its own and what needs to be done with her dental issues.

She may look a little rough around the edges, but she’s a “keeper”. She’s going to make a great companion for some lucky person or family. If you’re interested in giving the precious girl a chance at the life she deserves, or even just giving a donation for her care, we’d love for you to be part of rescuing Bonita.

Shelter needs: Kitten chow without red dyes; pate’ style canned dog, cat and kitten food; dog and cat treats; dog chews; rope toys; small, fleece pet blankets; hand towels; liquid hand soap; and gift cards for pet supply and grocery outlets.

Source: Getting Bonita on the right path will take love, medical care and a ‘lucky person’

Posted in 2021, SJRAS Articles