New leash on life for survivors
A couple of fat and sassy puppies have new leashes on life thanks to veterinarian Art Otto's lifesaving efforts at The Animal Clinic in Kalispell.
You may remember the story of the litter of pups that were abandoned in July in a Dumpster in town.
Sadly, seven of the 11 newborns had died before they were rescued. Two others subsequently died.
Otto credits the two men who found them and put them in a water bath to cool them down for saving their lives; otherwise, all the pups would have perished, having been left in a bag when they were just 2 days old.
The pair of pups that survived were delivered to Otto's office, where they were tube-fed for a week in a round-the-clock rotation by the staff, then bottle-fed for another three weeks by Otto's wife at home, using milk replacer donated by Landrush Realty and its employees.
Otto called to let the Inter Lake know that the brother and sister are well and in good hands.
He and his wife, Debbie, took in the female pup and named her Marley. Debbie Otto reports that their new family member is very sweet and cuddly and having fun "tormenting" her two new stepsisters.
The other puppy also has been adopted into a good home, and his family has named him Mister.
He figures they'll grow to be between 60 and 70 pounds. They're black except for a white stripe around their necks and backs, and look like labs with bowed hind legs like a boxer's.
They've had their shots and Otto believes they will be well-socialized pets.
He thanks all the Inter Lake readers who showed their concern for the orphaned pups when their story first was told.
Otto reminds the public that there are always more merciful ways of dealing with unwanted litters. At the least, they can be brought to the animal shelter or a veterinarian's office, where they can be euthanized humanely. Of course, spaying and neutering is the best defense.
Typically it's tough to fill the shoes of our community's volunteer firefighters. But their big boots were filled to overflowing this summer at a couple of Fill-the-Boot fundraisers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
On July 1, West Valley firefighters passed the boot at Raceway Park, collecting more than $700 to help MDA families throughout Montana.
Whitefish firefighters hit the streets Aug. 12 and raised more than $5,500.
The staff of the Montana chapter of MDA appreciates the continued support of everyone who dropped their spare change into the boots as they were passed, and thanks Stageline Pizza and Subway for donating food to fill the Whitefish volunteers' appetites.
The money raised will go toward providing services to the more than 500 Montanans with a neuromuscular disease. MDA helps families to purchase wheelchairs and leg braces, and provides doctors clinics in Great Falls, Billings and Missoula.
Donations also help send children in Montana with a muscular disease to summer camp every year.