From Iraq With Love: Coney's Story

Those of us lucky enough to have experienced the love of a dog understand that they are more than just a pet - they truly are a part of our family.

Families are built in many different ways, and every pet's story is special. Whether we found our furry friend in a shelter, from a breeder, or as a stray - they wind their way into the tapestry of our lives and through the landscapes of our hearts so completely that we can hardly remember a time before they were with us.

Sometimes, the story of how a pet and a family find one another is so extraordinary that it must be told - and the story of Coney is most certainly one of those.

Marty Burke was serving his second tour as an Army Tank Commander in Amarah, Iraq when a stray dog found her way onto the base. The soldiers quickly came to love the sweet dog and welcomed her company. When it became apparent that the dog was pregnant, however - Marty was concerned. They weren't exactly down the road from a Veterinary Hospital - what if the dog became ill, or could not care for her puppies? He knew he wouldn't be able to walk away if that happened - he would have to find a way to help.

When the puppies were born, Marty's worst fears were realized. Whether she was too young, or too ill - the mother did not care for her puppies beyond their first few weeks. One by one they disappeared, and Marty was unable to discover what had happened to them. Saddened by the loss of the puppies, and shortly after, the death of their mother, Marty continued in his duties and looked forward to the day he would return home to his fiancee, Hannah.

One cold night, Marty was heading to work when he heard a strange sound in the dark that seemed to be coming from behind an abandoned freezer. Following the sound, he discovered a tiny, shivering puppy - the sole survivor of the litter! Without hesitation, he scooped up the pup and brought her to work with him. At three weeks old, malnourished, with a malformed front paw, the puppy would most likely not have survived another night alone in the cold - and her odds of surviving beyond that were less than zero.

From that night on, the little puppy became his constant companion. When his shift was over, he would place her in a bomb shelter while he slept, going to retrieve her on his way to work the next night. He nursed her back to health on what he affectionately dubs "Army Milk" and other remnants from his MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). He even thought of a name he liked for her - 'Coney'.

As Coney grew and recovered her strength, Marty was beginning to realize that he couldn't leave his new friend behind. Homeless dogs in Iraq face countless perils - the constant threat of starvation, other wild dogs, and the efforts of the Iraqi people to rid the streets of strays by shooting or poisoning them. He appealed to his fiancee Hannah - what would she think of this fine mess he'd gotten himself into? For Hannah, the answer was simple - she had to find a way to get this little dog home for good.

"Did you say $4,000????"

Hannah's initial research was discouraging, to say the least. She and Marty would need over $4,000 to finance the puppy's trip to Colorado! How in the world would they ever manage to come up with such a large sum? Just as things seemed hopeless, she found a program online through the SPCA - "Operation Baghdad Pups". Created for situations just like Marty and Hannah's, this program raises funds through donations to bring dogs like Coney to the United States. Within a week, Hannah had the funds they needed to bring the puppy home!

Marty was overjoyed by the news - and perhaps even a little jealous that Coney would be seeing Hannah weeks before he would! The details were mapped out by the SPCA - first Coney would be picked up in Amarah by a security company contracted for that purpose and driven to Baghdad. From there she would make the long journey to New Jersey, where she would remain in quarantine until she had passed a health inspection.

A mere three weeks after Hannah had begun her quest to bring Coney home, she found herself entering the cargo area of Denver International Airport. A group of workers sat in a circle with a lively, three-pawed puppy dancing merrily in the center of her new fan club. She knew of only one puppy who had three paws and the power to enchant everyone she met - this must be Coney!

Hannah and Coney knew right away that they belonged together, and when Marty arrived home several weeks later, Coney was absolutely overjoyed to see him. Their family was at last complete.

Families are built in all sorts of ways. In the middle of the desert, in the center of a war zone, a very lucky little dog found hers.

Coney would not be where she is today without the people who helped her along her 7,000 mile journey home. Marty and Hannah would like to say a very special thank you to the wonderful people of the SPCA and the "Operation Baghdad Pup" program. 

Click here to learn more!

Hannah, Marty, and Coney

Ollie's Tale

This is the story of a cat named Ollie.
We don't know much about Ollie's life before the tragic events that brought him to us, only that we are thankful he was found and that he is lucky to be alive. On a summer Saturday afternoon, the first of Ollie's 'angels' was driving home from running errands. Something on the side of the road caught her eye - what appeared to be a black cat, obviously injured, lay there. Getting out of her car to take a closer look, she smelled the acrid stench of smoke and burned flesh and realized this cat was in far worse shape than she'd first imagined. As carefully as she could, she moved the pitiful creature into her car and hurried as quickly as possible to Dublin Animal Hospital, where her daughter works as a technician.

Ollie during his long healing process

Here at the hospital, things were winding down from a typical, busy Saturday. Dr. Heather Rollence had just finished performing an emergency surgery on one of her patients when Ollie was rushed in. At first glance, she too saw a black cat, clearly gravely injured, being brought into the treatment area. It wasn't until the smell hit her that she realized - this cat had been on fire. The technicians immediately set to work gently cleaning Ollie up as well as they could, so that Dr. Rollence could better assess the extent of his injuries.

What she found shocked and sickened her - this had been no accident. Ollie had lacerations over his body, and one foot was badly mutilated. Whether these injuries were inflicted by his attackers, or by his frantic attempts to escape them, remains unknown. Dr. Rollence and the technicians did all they could to make him comfortable, but as she left that day she couldn't help wondering what fate awaited her newest patient.

Over the following weeks, Ollie underwent multiple surgeries and painful treatments for his burns. Every doctor and technician at Dublin Animal Hospital worked tirelessly to save this sweet boy. One of his legs was so badly injured that it had to be amputated. Throughout his ordeal, he never ceased to amaze the hospital staff with his patience, strength, and gentle personality. After all he'd been through and suffered at the hands of human beings, he seemed to sense somehow that we were here to help, not harm him.

Dr. Rollence could see that her little patient was improving day by day, and was continually amazed at his capacity to heal. His fur, once blackened by fire, was now returning to a luxurious creamy white. His eyes became bright with life and curiosity as he daily watched the hustle and bustle of the hospital and its other patients. As he healed, she desperately hoped that he would find a loving home of his own.

Finally, Ollie was ready to leave the hospital. He needed to be in a place where he could learn to move about on three legs, and adjust to living in a home again. But where would he go? He still required regular treatments at the hospital, and needed a home with people who would know how to care for his special needs. In a decision based more on a sense of obligation than desire, Dr. Rollence decided to take Ollie home with her - for awhile at least.

Ollie in "his" shower stall

Little did she know how much this little cat had already worked his way into her heart. Once Ollie was established in his new hospital room (her spare bathroom's shower stall!), he began to improve in earnest. Her three boys delighted in caring for and playing with Ollie, and soon he was ready to move freely about and explore his new home. Even her elderly cat, Susie, while not exactly thrilled with the notion - at least accepted him with resignation.

Ollie present day - looking very majestic!

Now, nearly a full year after he was so brutally abused, Ollie has gone from a critically injured stray to a beloved member of the Rollence family. He has truly found where he belongs. Fully healed, he spends his days basking in the sun and periodically trying to convince Susie that she really isn't too old for playing after all. Most of the time, she disagrees. 



Always ready to play!



While Ollie's story is one of courage, strength, and beating all the odds - it is also a story of extraordinary love and compassion. How one very special doctor gave a second chance at life to a very special cat that so many others would have given up on.

Congratulations to our Raffle Basket winners!!

On March 31st, we had the pleasure of awarding two very special clients with a very special gift basket each!

The winners were drawn from the group of clients who had a dental for their pet (one dog, one cat) in February, or scheduled on in February that took place in March. The baskets were full of goodies from the pet boutique "Ruffing It" located at Powers and Stetson Hills!

And the winners are . . .

We hope your furry friends are enjoying their fun treats!

Once again we'd like to express our sincere appreciation to all of our client family who got their pet on the right track to a healthy mouth during Dental Health Month!