16-050 Bertha was the larger of two blond puppies retrieved from neglectful conditions in Tucson (see also 16-052 Blondie). Though at least three months old, she had had no vetting and had been living outside. Our transporters picked up the girls in Casa Grande and immediately took them to one of our participating vet clinics for a complete exam. Vaccinations were delayed because Blondie was coughing. The vet did not want to compromise their systems with the addition of immediate vaccinations. Both pups had some internal and external parasites that were quickly eliminated. The pups were loaded with ticks – they were crawling all over the crate floor in the transport van, and many dropped off on the floor in the vet’s exam room. Yuk! It is no surprise that one of the pups tested positive for tick fever! Although she required deworming as well as a tick-elimination bath, Bertha was otherwise basically healthy.

Her adopter picked up her new friend, renamed her Chloe, and took her home to meet her two residents dogs. She reported: "Chloe is settling in nicely and she’s an absolute doll. A spitfire for sure but so adorable you can’t help but love her. She is an energizer bunny, a real ball of non-stop energy. But she loves playing with toys and listens pretty well. She slept in the crate last night with no issues. She whines and barks for about a minute but then settles in. I was prepared not to get any sleep and I got a lot, so that was a pleasant surprise." Chloe has landed in a much better place, one where she can thrive and become the wonderful companion she was meant to be.