We received an urgent call from our partner shelter asking if we could take in a senior Westie girl whose owner had relinquished her for euthanasia.
At 13 years old, Josie suddenly found herself alone at the moment she needed love and care the most.
While we don’t know the full story behind her owner’s decision, we choose to focus on the positive: the compassion shown by the shelters we work with, who reach out to us in these critical moments.
Because the call came in at rush hour, we made arrangements to pick her up the following morning. Thankfully, Josie spent less than 24 hours at the shelter. In that brief time, the staff immediately began treatment, gave her extra meals, and showered her with kindness.
Upon intake at the shelter, she weighed in at just 11.8 pounds. Our goal is to help her reach a healthy weight with extra meals and weekly weigh-ins.
Josie is facing several health challenges: she has virtually no tear production, resulting in infected eyes; both ears are infected; she has a severe combined yeast and bacterial skin infection; she is anemic; and she has spondylosis, a degenerative spinal condition common in senior dogs that can cause stiffness, discomfort, and reduced mobility. We’re awaiting the remaining blood work results and have additional diagnostics scheduled for next week to make sure we’re addressing everything.
She is exhausted. Like so many dogs when they first arrive, the toll of her previous circumstances is clear. After her first medicated bath and a nourishing meal, she curled up and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep—likely the best rest she’s had in a very long time.
The costs involved in these senior rescues are significant—medications, specialized treatments, diagnostics, nutritious food, pain management, and ongoing care all add up quickly.
She’s safe now. And we’re just getting started.
Karen Simondet
Update July 7, 2026:
A few days after her rescue, it was clear Josie wasn’t herself. When this normally ravenous eater turned down a meal, we knew something was seriously wrong. She spent two days at our vet receiving supportive care and antibiotics to combat an infection. By the weekend, her condition had worsened and she was running a fever, so we transferred her to Horizon Emergency Care in Ventura.
Her white blood cell count had spiked to more than three times the normal range. Although we had started antibiotics the day she arrived, the infection had already taken a strong hold. In addition to the infection and fever, Josie was diagnosed with dry eye (no tear production), anemia, and Irritable Bowel Disease.
To help manage her anemia, she needed a regimen of medications given one hour before every meal. Because she was so severely underweight, we were feeding her multiple times a day. She had arrived weighing just 11 pounds—she should have been 16–17 pounds.
Our brave little fighter beat every odd stacked against her. By all medical accounts, she shouldn’t be here today, but Josie had other plans. Just when we thought she might need to remain a forever foster, she showed us her incredible will to live.
After six months in foster care, this resilient girl is finally healthy again. She is now a robust 17 pounds! Today, July 3rd, she is well enough to clear her last major hurdle: a much-needed dental procedure.
As you can imagine, thousands of dollars have been spent on Josie’s extensive care. The generosity of WestieMed has been an enormous help, allowing us to give neglected senior dogs like Josie the medical attention they so desperately need.
Karen