On January 6th, the Street Dog Foundation received an emergency call from a local emergency veterinary clinic reporting that a mother dog was in critical condition. The German shepherd mix, now named Epiphany, was shot four times while protecting 11 newborn puppies. Despite suffering severe injuries, including bullets in her arm, elbow and spine, and a bullet that completely penetrated her body cavity, she remained focused on her tiny puppy, less than 24 hours old.
Police reported receiving a report of an injured animal in southwest Memphis. A man who was in the home told officers that he shot the stray dog when it charged towards him, his wife and children. Police have not said where the newborn puppies were found, but Epiphany and her puppies are currently safe and receiving treatment at Grace Animal Hospital.
When Epiphany arrived at Grace Animal Hospital, she was unable to walk and was in critical condition due to trauma near her spine. Her recovery required intensive treatment and constant monitoring to manage the injury without jeopardizing the puppies’ ability to nurse. Care requires 24/7 attention. Melanie and Kent Pafford, founders of the Street Dog Foundation, have been working tirelessly with the team at Grace Animal Hospital.
“She has to nurse at night,” Kent explained to WREG News Memphis.1 “Three times a night, we can go in there and change the puppy. At least three feeding cycles, we take her outside and feed her more. She’s body-building now. is eating voraciously while trying to promote recovery.”
positive outlook
Epiphany is healing despite the unexpected. Her wound is healing well and last week she surprised everyone by getting up and walking on her own. She is still in pain but continues to get stronger every day. Even in this condition, Epiphany was a loving and attentive mother. Her 11 puppies (7 boys and 4 girls) are thriving under her care. The smallest puppy, which caused some concern at first, has made remarkable progress and is now nursing happily. All puppies are healthy, active, and are gaining weight steadily.
“They are now well taken care of by their sweet mom. I always talk to her and say, ‘Mom, you’re hurting and I don’t know how you’re doing.’ You can see it when she walks,” Melanie added. “As a mother who doesn’t have anyone to help her, we’re so glad she’s here.”
On January 9th, Streetdog Foundation shared on Facebook post The puppies no longer want to be bottle-fed and want “nothing but the real thing.” They also shared:[the puppies’] The bond with mom is strong and it’s beautiful to see how much mom loves and protects them. ”
The story of Epiphany and the puppies touched the hearts of many. Last Monday, Street Dog Foundation Started a fundraising campaign on Facebookraised over $16,000 in just one week. Angel donors also offered to match the first $15,000 donation. However, the estimated cost of caring for Epiphany and her pup is approximately $50,000, leaving a significant financial gap to fill.
Future challenges
It was both a challenge and a relief when X-rays revealed that one bullet had completely penetrated Epiphany’s body, with the remaining three bullets remaining lodged inside her. . Miraculously, none of the bullets hit any vital organs, but one bullet did hit the spinous process (a bony part of the vertebrae), leading veterinarians to determine whether the shock wave had bruised her spinal cord or not. I thought it might have been a shock. She was initially unable to use her hind legs, but asked the Street Dog Foundation team to “hope this is temporary and not permanent,” according to a Jan. 6 Facebook post from the Street Dog Foundation. I received it and it seems to have worked.
“At this point, we are hoping that we will not need surgery. [bullets] Stabilize where they are. But one grazed his shoulder blade, sending bone fragments flying,” Kent explained to WREG News. “There was one on her back that went through the skin and came out the other side, and two more on her shoulders. So she took some direct hits.”
how to help
The Paffords said this is the first time in 15 years of rescue work that the Street Dog Foundation has rescued a dog with a gunshot wound. The volunteer-run organization, which has rescued around 1,500 dogs, is already experiencing financial difficulties, making community support even more important.
“We didn’t have the budget for this. This is going to be a big budget,” Melanie said. “We appreciate everything and need homes for these puppies.”
The Street Dog Foundation is actively seeking foster homes for Epiphany and her puppies, as well as forever homes for all of our dogs.
their Fundraising on Facebook is still in operation and directly impacts these 12 dogs, so any donations of any size are greatly appreciated.
For information on foster care, adoption, and donations, please visit Visit the Streetdog Foundation website.
About Street Dog Foundation
Streetdog Foundation is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and enriching the lives of people. They rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome stray and abandoned dogs of all breeds, sizes, and backgrounds in the Memphis, Tennessee area. Street Dog Foundation believes that all dogs have the potential to become wonderful, adoptable pets.
you can follow them Instagram, facebookand × Check out the latest updates on Epiphany, her puppies, and all the other dogs they’ve rescued.
