Click to see our angels.

If you don't mind, we would appreciate your allowing us to interrupt you for just a minute so we can tell you our stories. We'll shower you with Siberian cyber kisses if you would be so kind as to oblige. In a nutshell, all three of us have heartworm disease. We have already cost Pet Harbor Rescue a lot of money because we had to have the usual vet work done. Pet Harbor Rescue simply cannot afford the added expense of heartworm treatment, and they and we need your help. Thank you for listening. Now please allow us to elaborate. Briley wants to tell you her story first

BRILEY: Woo. I'm a really gentle lady. Toys I can take or leave, but I really like eating raw broccoli! They say I'm an almost angel. I don't know why they need that adjective there. I was a stray gal who ended up in a very rural county shelter with an almost zero adoption rate. A Pet Harbor volunteer, Bruce, got me out of there and to safety. Pet Harbor then found out while having my other veterinary care performed that I was afflicted with heartworm disease. My other medical care was expensive, and Pet Harbor can't pay for my heartworm treatment and still care for future Siberians who need them. I have a home waiting for me. I am just waiting for the completion of my heartworm treatment so I can go home.

Now it's time for little Tyla to tell you her story.

TYLA: Oh, boy. It's my turn! Let me jump around and give you some kisses first. You see, I was a victim of animal cruelty. In fact, my case went to court. So since I got out of that situation, I feel compelled to spew forth a continuous flow of gratitude! I'm so happy now! Pet Harbor tested me for heartworm disease when they first got me, and the result was negative. I found a wonderful home with a Pet Harbor volunteer and her daughter. As luck would have it, a few months later, I went to the vet for something else, and they tested me again. This time it showed up positive. Though I was on preventative for those months, you see, it takes six months for it to show up after you get it. So since I had heartworm disease before I left Pet Harbor, even though Pet Harbor didn't know it, Pet Harbor is paying for my treatment, which takes money away from what they have for veterinary care for new homeless Siberians. Unfortunately, most animals coming to rescue need all of their veterinary care, including tests, vaccines, medications, and sterilization. So Pet Harbor needs your help with the extraordinary expenses of heartworm treatment.

Now it's time for the big kahuna, Zeplin, to tell you his story.

ZEPLIN: Howdy! Aren't I handsome? I'm also polite, well-mannered, and obedient. For some silly reason, I landed in a county shelter & nobody claimed me. Pet Harbor was thrilled to get me. I'm a big boy. In fact, the shelter who found me said I was a Malamute. Among other different characterisics, blue eyes are never found on Malamutes. Either they didn't know that or they didn't look at my eyes. I also tested positive for Lyme disease. Besides having heartworm and Lyme diseases, I also came to Pet Harbor with a strong skunk odor on my fur. It's diminished, but it's not gone! Pet Harbor has tried everything to eradicate it. So if you can think of an unusual remedy that's sure to work, please let Pet Harbor know! So here we go again. I'm the seventh dog Pet Harbor has treated in this year alone, 2005, for heartworm disease. For those of you who have dogs, PLEASE make sure you keep them on preventative. Heartworm disease can kill dogs.

So now Pet Harbor has three dogs simultaneously going through expensive treatment for heartworm disease.

BRILEY, TYLA, and ZEPLIN: Pet Harbor got all of us fixed and got our shots current and the rest of our veterinary care done. Briley has been through all three phases of heartworm treatment. She will be finished after she tests negative. Heartworm treatment can be a very dangerous thing. Some dogs can't even go through it. We're glad all three of us could! Briley developed a heart murmur during treatment, and she had to be kept very, very still, which she loved because her favorite spot is just lying next to humans. So she's doing better. Everybody at our vet's office loves us, especially our very special vet tech, Cathy! They say we're just the sweetest dogs! Well, what Siberian isn't? We do have to confess they don't like Zeplin's odor!

Tyla has finished the first phase of treatment. She has to go back for two more phases. So she'll be finished on July 27. Zeplin has finished the first two phases. So he will be finished on July 5.UPDATE 9/11/06: All of us are finished with heartworm treatment. Briley has a wonderful home in Winchester, Tyla lives with with another Pet Harbor dog and a great family in Nokesville, and Zeplin has an awesome home and parents in Arlington.

We are writing this story for two reasons. First, we want to make sure you keep your dogs on heartworm preventative. If you love your dog, you will. Preventative is very inexpensive. The opposite is not true. If your dog gets heartworm disease, it can cost up to $1,000 to treat. We even heard of some vets who charge $1,500! A packet of preventative for six months can cost you $25. See? Please love your dog & keep him/her on preventative. Our foster mommy knows firsthand. Her first Siberian Husky died 26 years ago because she had heartworm disease. The vet told her only to keep her dog on preventative in the summer months. Her dog died because of that. So please keep your dog on preventative and please do that year-round, not just in the summer. Isn't your dog worth that? Oh, by the way, you get preventative from your vet. It's not something you can buy in a department store. Here is a picture of what heartworm disease looks like, but it's not for the squeamish. Picture

The second reason we are writing is to ask you to help Pet Harbor Rescue pay for our heartworm treatment. They set up a fund for this purpose. Briley's bill is $254.36, Tyla's $329.63, and Zeplin's $362.88. So our total bill for the heartworm treatment is $946.87 as of 6/18/05. Barring any further complications, that should be it. If you can help, please send tax-deductible donations to

Please indicate your payment is for the Heart Fund 2. You will see your name here in my list of angels, and Pet Harbor would be delighted to send you a receipt. As contributions are received, the new balance will be posted here.

Still needed as of September 11, 2006 is

JOAN TAYLOR & HER RESCUED SIBERIAN
PAT & DAN WYMAN
SPECIAL DONATION JAR AT
6/25/05 EVENT AT STAFFORD PETsMART
IN MEMORY OF BOKU & RUU KANNO
AMY & DARRIUS PERGOSKY
CHARLOTTE WILSON
(Mom of Caroline and Traveler Joe, Pet Harbor alumni)
J. USLE
GREATER WASHINGTON SIBERIAN HUSKY CLUB
AMY WYMAN
(Mom of Reddy Mac, formerly Reddy, Pet Harbor alumnus)
PAT SNYDER
(Mom of Liberty, Pet Harbor alumnus)
PAUL & KIM DEAN
(Parents of Zeplin, now named Griffin, recipient of part of this Heart Fund)

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