On August 3, 2008, The Animal Advocates rescued a little Chihuahua in very bad condition. She was scared to death, covered in fleas and had bleeding open wounds from her ears to the tip of her tail. There wasn’t a single hair present on her tail. Her back, tail, and most especially, her hip area, looked like raw hamburger meat.

The little dog was seen immediately by our veterinarian, Dr. Renee McHenry. Upon examination, it was determined that she was approximately 4 months old, under weight, had hook worms, Coccidiosis (parasitic protozoa that can cause destruction of the intestinal mucosa), Demodicosis (mange passed from her mother), and had been burned over approximately 80% of her body. A bacterial skin infection was also present. We will never know how this little dog was burned, but the vet suspects that HOT motor oil may have been poured on her. Dr. McHenry says that people often think motor oil will cure mange. Motor oil will NOT cure mange!

When animals come into The Animal Advocate Foster Care Program, we immediately give them a name. It is usually based on the personality or the looks of the animal. In this case, we had a very difficult time giving this little girl a name. Because of her condition, she had very little personality and looked like raw meat. As the raw areas began to scab over, she looked like the bark on the trunk of a tree. So, we almost named her “Bark”, but because we had never heard her bark, it just didn’t fit. We considered many names, including “Timber”, but since she was so small & her condition was so delicate, we decided on “Twig”. I’m not sure if that name still fits after watching this little dog through her recovery. She may look like a pitiful little twig, but inside she has the determination and strength of a big solid oak tree. Her tenacious spirit has been an inspiration to us all…. It is in this spirit and in her honor, that we are establishing Twig’s Rescue & Rehabilitation Fund.

The Animal Advocates are happy to have been able to give Twig the medical care and love she needed to recover and thrive. With your help and support, we can continue to build a strong foundation for rescue and rehabilitation to help other animals like Twig. These special needs animals deserve a second chance. Won’t you help? Please give generously. TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Donations can be made to The Animal Advocates with a designation that funds go to Twig’s Rescue & Rehabilitation Fund for special needs dogs and cats. These funds will be used solely for the rescue, veterinary and rehabilitation costs for dogs and cats that have been abused and neglected like Twig.

Thank you for your support,
The Animal Advocates