Lucy was a puppy mill dog for about the first seven years of her life and was in an “off the ground” cage north of Buffalo, NY. When she was about seven she was rescued, along with several other dogs by someone with enough money to get them. This person apparently placed Lucy with someone that bred her again. The story goes, that Lucy ignored her last litter. She was probably very tired and was then placed in another new home.
I was contacted by a woman that lives about an hour from me and said she got my name from the Beverly Rescue Group. Her name is Linda. This rescue group works with all kinds of dogs and cats and I gave them my name and number several years ago.
Linda explained that she had a friend that was in and out of the hospital and would be permanently in the hospital. She said that Lucy had been living alone in a mobile home since last February (ten months) and the owner was in the hospital more than home. There were also two cats in the trailer.
The SPCA was contacted and they would throw a bag of cheap food in the trailer every week, one for Lucy and one for the cats. Linda lived about twenty minutes away and was going over every two to three days to check on Lucy and give them water. Linda has five dogs of her own and was truly concerned about the situation. I made arrangements for the release of Lucy through Linda and went to the trailer to pick her up and give her foster care.
Immediately when I walked into the mobile home I could not believe the conditions this dog and two cats had been living in. The bags of food were broken open on the floor and there had been no one cleaning this place. Lucy was infested with fleas, no hair on her hindquarters and the top of her head. I broke open an Advantix that I brought with me (Pam and I have two male Westies) and put it on Lucy. I thanked Linda for her perseverance and drove Lucy directly to our Veterinarian, where she was diagnosed with a flea infestation, worms, bad bronchitis, and ear infections. With medication, she is now doing very well.
Additionally, she will be spayed and has a tumor on her mammary gland that will be removed and also needs extensive dental work.
It is a joy to see her progress and she actually goes up and downstairs now, she could not two weeks ago. She sleeps well and is not scratching herself anymore. Lucy gets excited and hops up and down …it’s the craziest thing.
It is so good to see her progress and how happy she is now. We have a few qualified families that may adopt her after she is through her medical issues. Her life will be great now and she deserves it.
Thanks to WestieMed. Thanks again for your help with Lucy. She is a perfect little girl.
John
Update December 31, 2009
WestieMed, thank you very much for your help with Lucy!
We “all” very much appreciate everything you have done. Lucy is now going to physical therapy to learn stairs and she is a lot better…she would not have made it through winter without all of us.
You guys are great,
John and Pam Peck
Update June 28, 2010
Lucy is doing terrific and now looks like a normal Westie since her hair grew back in. She can even run now despite COPD from living with cats in the trailer! My wife has photos to send you when she returns from a trip next week. Lucy lives in a great home with our niece and her family. They love her and attend to the Queen’s every need. Please stay in touch and thank you for the financial help again, it was put to good use!
John
Update April 13, 2011
Lucy had the best last year of her life with our niece Annie. Lucy was doing very well and then succumbed to cancer, without pain, dying in her “moms” lap. When she was buried, they placed a little crown on her head. She was a very sweet little dog with many medical problems including COPD. The whole family is still very sad. I also asked Anna to send you a message, I am sure she can tell you more about Lucy.
Thanks for your interest and I am sorry to be the bearer of the sad news.
John
Update April 18, 2011
This is Anna Wing (John Peck’s niece and Lucy’s owner). I am writing to update you with the sad news that Lucy is no longer with us.
Around the beginning of October, we noticed that Lucy was seeming to regress in progress. Up to that point, she had been doing amazingly well; she was going on mile-long walks, climbing full flights of stairs, and running around in the backyard like a puppy– all of which she was nowhere near able to do after she was first rescued. After some tests, the vet diagnosed Lucy with liver cancer, which she may have had the beginnings of when we got her, only there was no way to know until symptoms started showing up. Lucy only lasted a few weeks from the diagnosis, but she went very peacefully surrounded by her family.
I am glad to say that Lucy lived the last year of her life as the ultimate princess in our house. She enjoyed sleeping on her pink, fluffy “princess bed” in front of our fireplace, getting as many treats as she wanted, and getting to actually run around free in a real backyard. One of her favorite things to do was go exploring along the beach at our camp on the lake, where she could get into all kinds of new smells. Her instincts from being neglected were always still prevalent, and she was notorious for getting into and eating almost ANYTHING, especially the garbage!
I cannot thank WestieMed enough for allowing Lucy this final year to experience life as a loved dog should. Without your help, she never would have been able to overcome the terrible condition that she was in when John first rescued her from that trailer she was living in. We will always remember her as one of the sweetest and most appreciative dogs we have ever known.
Thank you,
Anna Wing