PAID IN FULL! 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. Heartworm treatment is very expensive, and Pet Harbor has to take care of the other dogs and cats it enshrouds and feed us and do routine stuff, like giving us collars and flea preventative and a microchip and all that stuff they think is important, and other medical care. So they need help paying for our heartworm treatment. They and we need your help. Thank you for listening. Now please allow us to elaborate. Nola wants to tell you her story first
Now it's time for Merino to tell you his story.
MERINO:
Oh, boy. It's my turn! Let me give you some kisses first.
Now it's time for the regal one of us, Luke Nee, to tell you his story.
So now Pet Harbor has three dogs who will be going through expensive treatment for heartworm disease.
NOLA, MERINO, and LUKE NEE: Merino starts treatment November 21. As for Luke Nee and Nola, we have to get fixed first and wait for the immiticide (the medication used in the treatment) to get here from France and then start our treatment. We already got our shots current and the rest of our veterinary care except for the sterilization done. Heartworm treatment can be a very dangerous thing. Some dogs can't even go through it. Left untreated, though, the worms that go through the heart are more devastating.
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 $1,000 or more 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 over 30 years ago because of heartworm disease. The vet told her to only 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. The total estimate from our veterinarian for our heartworm treatment is $626.49 for each of us as of 11/18/11. If there are any complications during treatment, that cost will increase. Adding Nola's spay and Luke's neuter ($85 each), that brings our total to $2,049.47. If you can help, please send tax-deductible donations to
Click to see our angels.
NOLA: Woo. I'm a really gentle lady. Toys are the cat's meow for me. Speaking of cats, they're kind of scary. I would rather run from them than try to eat them. Back to toys - Wherever you see Nola, you see toys. I toss them up in the air. I bite at them. I love on them. I destroy them. I'm all about toys. I could find a basket of things and dig through it and find one little toy hidden in the middle. The rest of the basket doesn't capture my attention. If there's another dog around, I'll attempt to bury the toy in a recliner or sofa. If I'm forbidden, I'll strategically plant my toy behind the sofa. Running at large, I landed in a Virginia county animal shelter. Pet Harbor volunteers Andrea and Susan were instrumental in springing me. Pet Harbor then found out I was afflicted with heartworm disease. All of us are available for adoption pending the completion of each one's heartworm treatment. 
Though I am better known as a running back because when there is an open door, even just a sliver, I'm gone, I am Merino. Unlike Nola, I would enjoy a feline feast. I have an awesome personality, and my foster mom adores me. Running at large, I landed in the same Virginia county animal shelter as Nola. Pet Harbor volunteers Andrea, Susan, and Daniel were instrumental in springing me. One of the first things Pet Harbor does when springing a Siberian Husky from death row is to visit the veterinarian. While there, they found out I am afflicted with the same dread heartworm disease as Nola. I also have a juvenile cataract that has matured. No treatment for that is necessary, and I do have vision.
LUKE "LUKE" NEE: Howdy! Aren't I mesmerizingly handsome? I'm also polite, well-mannered, and obedient. Well, I'm obedient as long as there's no kitty around. Then I lose all sense of hearing. For some silly reason, I landed in the same Virginia county animal shelter as Nola & Merino. Nobody claimed me. Pet Harbor was thrilled to get all three of us. I'm a very thin boy. I have a big build, and I only weigh 43 pounds. Pet Harbor is working on changing that. So here we go again. I'm the 3rd dog Pet Harbor got in the same week with heartworm disease. For those of you who have dogs, PLEASE make sure you keep them on heartworm preventative. Preventative is so important as heartworm disease can kill dogs.
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Please indicate your payment is for the Heart Fund 3. 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.
In addition, Pet Harbor is holding a gourmet popcorn fundraising effort from Popcorn Palace to help us. We wish they would just let us eat all of the popcorn, but their volunteers say that would not be good for us! We think they're just trying to hog the popcorn. If it helps us get better, though, we're fine with it!
Please take a look at the flyer and think about scrumptious stocking stuffers! To order, email Pet Harbor's volunteer at stingray@petharbor.org and let her know what you want to order. Payment can be mailed to Pet Harbor Rescue, P.O. Box 73, Bowling Green, VA 22427 or by making arrangements to meet with one of our volunteers. Payment must be received by December 5. Orders will arrive by and be available for pickup at our December 17th adoption event in Fredericksburg or we can work out other arrangements for you to pick up your popcorn! Acceptable payment methods for the fundraiser are cash or checks made out to Pet Harbor Rescue.
From the bottom of our hopefully soon-to-be-healthy hearts, we, Nola, Merino, and Luke Nee thank you very, very much and wish you a happy Thanksgiving season! Still needed as of December 6, 2011 is
SUSAN KOCENBILLY MAUFF & JUNE CONNOLLY
