ANOTHER UPDATE: PANDORA NEEDS YOUR HELP TO LIVE

UPDATE on Pandora as of June 26, 2008: Pandora had her surgery a week ago today, and she is already running around and as good as new (actually, BETTER than "new"!).

Click here for the complete update on Pandora.

A BIG HUGE THANKS TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED AND HELPED TO SAVE THIS GIRLS LIFE!!!!!

Pictured above: Pandora playing with another foster dog!! Now that she's feeling better, she's a mischievous little devil

******Previous Update*******
Pandora's cardiologist said it was OK to let her play and run, so she went to the dog park.

Here is a picture that was taken. You'd never guess that she has a life-threatening heart problem, would you? She's quite brave too....see her introducing herself to one of the other dogs--a smooth coated Collie--at the dog park.

So far about $1500 in donations has been collected .... Many thanks to all of you who have made a donation for this little one....... but we still need $2000 more in order to have the operation. The TV station was planning to do a follow-up story on her, but--with all the flooding that's been going on in the area--Pandora's plight has been put on the back burner by the station but we cannot wait ...The surgery has to be done SOON .... to prevent permanent heart muscle damage...... if you can reach into your pocket and make even a small donation it would be greatly appreciated......

******Original Story*******
In early Greek mythology, Pandora (meaning "all-gifted") was the first woman on earth.

From One Starfish

She was very beautiful, and was endowed with many talents Sadly, this beautiful little Sheltie/Spaniel puppy named Pandora has a serious heart medical condition called PDA and without very expensive heart surgery (about $4,000) ....-she won't live long enough to share her beauty--and her many talents--with us.....

Pandora originally came from an overcrowded shelter, and a loving family had planned to adopt her. But, when the vet examined her prior to adoption, a problem was discovered.... Pandora--who is now about 12 weeks old--has a very serious congenital heart defect called Patent Ductus Arteriosis, or PDA for short . Sadly, the family had to decline taking her as their finances would not allow them to treat her condition. At that point, the shelter deemed Pandora no longer adoptable and her future was uncertain.....

Pandora's situation isn't hopeless, though. The prognosis--with surgery--is good, but only if the procedure is done VERY SOON, before permanent damage is done to her heart.

When we agreed to take Pandora, we knew that she would need expensive surgery. (The total cost--including pre-surgical blood testing, echocardiogram, etc.--will be around $4000.) Our little rescue organization doesn't receive any outside funding, so we have to pay for all of our rescue dogs' special medical needs out of our own pocketbook--which, at the moment, is close to empty. But we have a soft spot in our hearts for special medical needs dogs.....and we believe in miracles! Can you help us?

We are presently accepting adoption applications for Pandora, but we need to collect the donations necessary to proceed with her surgery before she will be ready to go home with her new family.(The prognosis for a healthy normal lifespan is excellent, once her heart defect is repaired.) Any donation amount--large or small--will help us reach our goal.

Below are the various ways you can send a donation for Pandora:

1) Make a contribution via Pay Pal to:
pandorasfund@onestarfish.org

2) Mail your donation check to:
One Starfish, Box 404, Columbus Wi 53925

3) Send a check--or call in a charge card donation--to our veterinary clinic:
Columbus Countryside Veterinary Clinic
N4359 Temkin Rd.
Columbus, Wi. 53925
(920) 623-3366
Once you provide us with your contact information, we will keep in touch and will give you regular progress reports on Pandora until, hopefully, we can announce that she is a healthy, happy, bouncy little puppy, ready to be adopted by a loving family.

Click here to watch Pandora on the news!

Thank you so much!

Who We Are
While our rescue group does usually have a few dogs available for adoption, our main goal is to provide assistance to folks needing help in finding the right dog to adopt. The rescue world is virtually inaccessible to potential adopters who don't have access to a computer and/or are not computer savvy. Even for those who do find their way to Petfinder, dealing with rescues and various shelters can be very confusing and intimidating. Folks who don't understand the basic operational differences between shelters and rescues may not have any idea what questions to ask or what to expect when contacting a rescue and, consequently, they can easily become discouraged in their search. We assist potential adopters by helping them understand how rescues work, what to expect in dealing with rescue groups, and the advantages and disadvantages of working with a rescue vs. a shelter. By networking with other rescues and shelters, we try to help potential adopters find the best pet for their situation and lifestyle. And, for those who don't have access to a computer, we will surf the net for them and then provide them with various leads to follow up on. We also offer suggestions on a number of dog-related subjects, from tips on safely re-homing an animal to advice regarding which dog breed (or breed mixes) might be best for an individual's unique living and family situation. At any given time, our own rescue has a very limited number of available dogs. However, if the animals we presently have available in our foster program don't meet someone's particular needs (or, vice versa) we offer assistance in their search for the perfect dog. Each year millions of dogs must be euthanized in shelters nationwide for the simple reason that there are more dogs bred than there are loving, adoptive homes. Puppy mills, pet shops, and casual breeders--those whose primary goal is making money by selling dogs--are the main reason for this heartbreaking statistic. By helping folks find the right dog to adopt from a rescue or shelter, we are doing our part to save these precious lives, one dog at a time....

Pictured above: Pandora

Reprinted with permission
Image Courtesy of One Starfish
Posted by Nicole, PA Team Leader