Through the dedicated and compassionate team efforts of the Central California SPCA staff, a young, healthy, spayed, vaccinated and licensed, but severely injured Weimaraner named Kayla had a second chance at life.
Kayla was near death with a four-day-old puncture wound to her chest when her owner, Mr. Martinez, brought her to us to be euthanized. He didn’t have the money to pay a veterinarian and was very grateful that the staff was so supportive when he came in to drop her off. Our Associate Veterinarian, Dr. Katy Byrd, and her staff listened to him through his tears when he hugged Kayla and said, “I’m sorry. I’m poor, and I hope you can forgive me.”
Our staff is dedicated to treating each animal as an individual and it is a huge misunderstanding that every animal that comes in with a request for euthanasia is euthanized. Each animal is individually assessed for its needs, health, well-being, and of course QUALITY of LIFE. Our staff knows the importance of communicating with each other so that every animal’s needs are met. Our hospital staff made a determination to help Kayla have that second chance at life.
Kayla’s recovery was guarded since it was a large wound and had not been repaired immediately. Everyone who worked with her while she was here noticed that she just kept looking for something or someone. She was patient with our staff that cared for her, medicated her, checked her, fed her, and fell in love with her. However, she was still looking for that something.
Our front desk team member had the honor of making the surprising call to the Martinez family letting them know their Kayla had survived her wound and that she was ready to go home. The Martinez family was overwhelmed with joy, once they were assured that Kayla was indeed still alive.
On the morning of Kayla’s release, everyone’s faces beamed with wide smiles knowing that it was her day to go home. Dr. Byrd brought Kayla from the hospital to be reunited with her family with her tail a blur from wiggles of extreme joy. There are not enough words to share how wonderful it feels to see such a happy reunion!! Kayla found what she had been looking for – her mom and dad!!!
We are grateful to Kayla’s “parents” for having taken such good care of her – spaying her, vaccinating her, licensing her, providing a good home for her, and for loving her.
It is through the donations from the public that we are able to continue to do everything that we can for each individual animal that comes to us.