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MSPCA Saves Life of Munchkin Kitten with Rare Reaction
Dollie was a typical four-month-old Munchkin kitten in late November, preparing for her first holiday season with her family, when she unexpectedly started feeling quite ill. Her symptoms were vague at first; she just wasn’t acting like a normal, playful kitten should. Then, things took a turn. Dollie developed changes to her skin and ears that her family just could not ignore, so they brought her to the MSPCA-Angell in Boston.
“When Dollie came to us, her ears were sloughing, and they actually did fall off,” explained Mike Keiley, MSPCA-Angell director of adoption centers and programs. “Parts of her skin were necrotic – the skin was dying. It impacted her extremities, including her tail, legs, and most of her ear tissue. We had never seen anything like it.”
It took collaboration across Angell’s network of specialists to finally diagnose Dollie’s illness—and not a second too soon.
“When my team came to Boston to examine Dollie, I saw severe skin sloughing and necrosis, especially around areas with poor circulation like the extremities,” said Dr. Meagan Painter, a dermatology specialist at MSPCA-Angell West in Waltham. “This is typical for a problem called ischemic dermatopathy, which is usually caused by a reaction to something in the body that leads to widespread inflammation.”
Painter added, “This reaction can lead to tissue death in sensitive areas, like the ear tips and paws. In Dollie’s case, it was quite severe, and she is a lucky little cat to have found her way to us.” Although Dollie has recovered, it remains unclear what triggered such a reaction.
Dollie has found adopters, and went home.
Large Transport Arrives in MA
The MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS) are eager to place dozens of newly arrived cats and dogs into new homes early in 2023, a challenge made even more pressing after dozens of cats and dogs from Tennessee, Texas, and Kentucky landed on December 27 in Massachusetts.
The animals—16 cats from Texas and 23 dogs from Tennessee and Kentucky—had been living in overcrowded shelters but have settled comfortably into NEAS, where they will remain until they can be adopted, which will be after their state-mandated 48-hour quarantine and after they receive any medical attention they may need. Those interested in adopting may monitor neas.org/adopt to see when they will become available.
The new arrivals are just a subset of the more than 4,100 cats and dogs that the MSPCA and NEAS have transported to Massachusetts this year. Those interested in donating to help ensure the organizations can bring even more animals to Massachusetts in 2023 may do so at MSPCA.org/match.
MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter Rescue 10 Dogs from Massive Arkansas Cruelty Case
Posted on November 4, 2021 by Rob Halpin
“Scared but Friendly” Arrivals Settling in; Shelter Teams Plan Adoptions before Thanksgiving
BOSTON and Salem, Mass., Nov. 4, 2021 – Ten dogs rescued from a massive animal cruelty case in Arkansas are now safe after teams from the MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS) drove to Tennessee on Monday, Nov. 1, loaded them into a van and drove them to the Bay State, where they arrived yesterday.
The new arrivals are among 280 dogs and 100 cats found living in deplorable conditions at the Humane Society of the Delta in Helena, Arkansas, which was shut down by state officials last week following a police raid that uncovered dead and emaciated dogs, a huge rat infestation, and mountains of trash. The shelter’s director is facing hundreds of animal cruelty charges.
Coalition Effort to Save “Scared, Skinny but Friendly” Dogs
The 10 dogs taken in by the MSPCA and NEAS are Pit Bulls aged from three to six years, and appear to be healthy overall. They, along with hundreds of others, were first evacuated from the Arkansas shelter on Oct. 23 and taken to the Animal Rescue Corps in Tennessee.
A coalition of regional animal welfare organizations then worked together to save the animals, including the Humane Society of Tulsa, Cabot Animal Services in Cabot, Arkansas, the Nashville Humane Society, Arkansas Pet Savers, and the Humane Society of Independence County in Batesville, Arkansas. Moreover, the BISSELL Pet Foundation provided logistics support as well as funding and emergency grants for some animals who required surgery and heartworm treatment.
Mike Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs for both NEAS and the MSPCA-Angell, says the teams arrived just in time.
“These dogs absolutely needed a safe place to land as soon as they were out of the Arkansas shelter, and I’m grateful to the other humane organizations who assisted with the rescue and relocation efforts,” he said.
“The 10 dogs in our care are quite friendly and social despite all they’ve gone through, but given the trauma they’ve endured, we’ll need ‘hero’ adopters willing to work patiently with them to help them adapt to their home lives,” added Keiley.
HERO Adopters Needed!
The dogs will serve out their mandatory 48-hour quarantine at NEAS’ Salem facility before some will be moved to the MSPCA at Nevins Farm in Methuen and the MSPCA-Cape Cod in Centerville. The dogs will be available for adoption the week of Nov. 8, and anyone interested in adopting can visit neas.org/adopt for more information, or to apply.
Support the Animals!
The new arrivals are just some of the thousands of animals the MSPCA will care for in 2021 alone—both inside and outside its adoption centers. Readers who would like to offset the cost of their care—and the care of animals just like them—can click www.neas.org/arkansasdogs to make a donation.
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