During the month of December we will be sharing twelve stories about animals that needed the SPCA's help this year. These stories exemplify our commitment to maintaining Charlottesville-Albemarle as a No Kill community. All of these stories have a happy ending because of the commitment of our SPCA and the generosity of our community.

... And the Twelfth Save of Christmas is Mable.

It was a Tuesday evening, when a woman walked in with a small dog wrapped in a blanket. She was helping a friend move into a new residence in Greene County, when they found a dog lying in deplorable conditions inside a shed. She immediately drove the dog (who staff would later name Mable) to the SPCA. Mable was brought directly to the clinic, where Dr. Beichel and clinic staff immediately came to examine her. With Mable's sweet face looking up, they pulled the blanket back to assess her condition. And then every staff member in the room began to cry.

They could not believe their eyes. Mable lie there, her fur matted about 5 inches thick saturated in urine and feces, a rancid smell filled the room. They looked at each other in disbelief. They all thought the same thing -- there was no way they could let her die like this.

So despite the unbearable smell, staff slowly and carefully removed her matted fur. They soon discovered Mable had urine scald over her entire body, her skin reddened and painful. She had several open wounds, one particularly large wound over her right hip. Maggots were present in the wound areas. She was only 14lbs., one-third of her estimated normal weight, with severe muscle wasting, no fat on her entire body. Dr. Beichel said that Mable was one of the most severely neglected and emaciated animals she had ever seen. It was truly a miracle that Mable was alive.

Mable was not stable enough to place under anesthesia, so she was given pain meds, fluids and antibiotics. Her prognosis was guarded, at best, as the long-term effects of starvation on her internal organs was still unknown. Nonetheless, Mable's will to live brought her this far, and at least now she had a fighting chance.

It would take weeks before Mable would eventually stand up, but as she ate and drank more each day, everyone rejoiced. Each day she would try to pull herself up. Finally she regained her strength to walk again -- Oh Happy Day!! After many weeks in the SPCA clinic, everyone had grown quite attached to Mable, but no one as much as Dr. Beichel. Dr. Beichel has a huge heart, especially for the older or special needs animals, her home filled with a clan of geriatrics. So when she decided to foster Mable one day, we all knew -- Mable had found her forever home.

Mable's first steps outside again.

Meeting a new friend.

Back for a visit at the SPCA.

A Happy Family Portrait.

With this last Save of Christmas, I am humbled by and thankful for our dedicated staff and our supportive community. Because without all of you, we could not celebrate the Twelve Saves of Christmas.

I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas!!!

Susanne Kogut, Executive Director