On April 6, 2011, I received a call from my 16 year old niece about 5:30pm CST. She lives in Columbia County in Lake City, Florida 32055. She told me that she had come across a 4 month old puppy that she believed ingested Antifreeze. She said the puppy was dying and she needed help. I was told that the puppies mouth was locked shut and she could not open it, her tongue was swollen and she was very weak.
With me being all the way in Indiana it was almost impossible to help. I called a Lake City Animal Hospital and spoke with Dr. Leslie. She told me that they had a treatment for anti freeze poisoning but she did not keep it in her office that we would have to get the puppy to the Gainesville Animal Hospital Emergency Room right away. My niece does not have a vehicle so this was impossible.
I called the Lake City police department and was told that the police department did not handle animal calls. I asked what they did if they found a sick animal on the street. He told me that they would pick it up and put in in an overnight area for Animal Control to get the next day. I told him the puppy would die before Animal Control got into their offices. I asked if that is what happens to all of their sick animal calls. The police man told me that they have never come across a case like this.
Because of my persistance, they were able to page someone from Animal Control. His name was T.J. I explained the situation to him. He said that his manager told him that this is not a call that they would handle. By the time they would get to pick up the puppy, it would be dead. If they did pick up the animal, they would charge my 16 year old neice $65.00 then they would go back to the office and euthenize the puppy. I said that I spoke with a vet and there is a treatment for antifreeze poisoning and he told me that they only have animals vaccinated. Anything else, they just put the animal to sleep. I asked how they could call themselves a humane society if they don't do anything to save the animals. I was then told that they were not a humane society but animal control. By this time, I was frustrated, angry, and upset to the point of crying. This poor puppy is dying and no one would help it.
Booka did pass away during the night, I am sure in immense pain due to the poisoning. Please help me make a call for action in Columbia County and Lake City to let them know that there has to be more done for these sick animals then was done on this day.
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