An animal cruelty case from July is seeing a happy ending.
After being left in a cage for nearly three weeks, becoming malnourished, and hardly able to move an inch due to muscle failure, Lucy has found her forever home.
Kaitlin Goodard works at the ANNA Shelter’s clinic in Fairview and said she fell for Lucy day by day while taking care of her when her foster caretaker was out of town.
“Honestly, we just adored her from the moment we brought her home. You couldn’t ask for a better dog,” said Kaitlin Goodard, adopted Lucy.
Since Lucy was brought to the ANNA Shelter, she’s responded well to life-saving treatment.
Even now, she still struggles to move around, has appetite issues and was diagnosed with diabetes, but it’s not stopping her new family from loving her.
“She requires insulin twice a day. She was just getting ready to start on the insulin when I had to go out of town,” said Emily Danskin, Lucy’s foster caretaker and ANNA staff member.
Lo and behold, the Goodard family really took to Lucy.
Kaitlin’s daughter, Alaina, had a connection from day one. Alaina has type one diabetes and the pair formed an immediate bond.
When the day came to stop fostering Lucy, the family made a last-second decision.
“Automatically the day we brought her home, she was already like, ‘I’m going to miss her.’ She had already knew about the foster deal. And then the day of, I was like, ‘tell her goodbye.’ She was kind of bummed, but when she got home later, we put a little bow on Lucy and she came through the door and was just ecstatic. She couldn’t be happier, she loves her. She wants her to sleep with her every night,” Goodard continued.
Goodard added Lucy and Alaina claim to be dia-besties. Alaina even shows Lucy how she has to take her own insulin shots.
Goodard is happy. And it’s through Lucy that Goodard’s daughter won’t feel alone living with diabetes.
It’s success stories like this one that has shelter staff members encouraging people to look for help before neglect can occur.
“Don’t just abandon the dog. Don’t just let it sit and get sicker and sicker or more and more injured. Reach out because there is help available,” said Danskin.