Lady

People occasionally refer to something easy as a “walk in the park.” But a stroll in a neighborhood park one day in late March was anything but easy for a brindled bulldog mix named Lady and her owner.

That was the day that a loose dog attacked Lady. Her owner said he’d seen the dog in the park before and it had never bothered them so he had no reason to be concerned. He still doesn’t know what brought on the attack this particular day.

But attack, the dog did, inflicting horrific injuries, despite Lady’s owner’s valiant efforts to protect her while not getting bitten himself.  “I tried to pull the other dog off her by pulling its legs,” he recalls.

When Lady arrived at the Washington Animal Rescue League’s Medical Center, she had multiple infected wounds on her left ear and both sides of her neck, requiring extensive surgery and a week of follow-up care. Throughout it all, she demonstrated a friendly and accepting nature, bestowing kisses on veterinary staff regularly. This doesn’t surprise her owner, who has had the 7-year-old dog since she was less than 5 months old. “She’s a family dog,” he explains. “She’s used to getting love and attention.”

So how is Lady today? “She’s great!” says her owner.  Now that her treatment—including almost two months of weekly follow-up visits—is over and her fur is growing back, life is returning to normal. The only reminder of her ordeal is an apparent reluctance to get near larger dogs. And who can blame her?

As awful as the whole experience was, Lady’s owner, who qualified for financial assistance, is thankful for the expert care she received at the League. “They treated her really well. I’d recommend them to anyone.”