In early September, Riverside Police brought in a stray dog to the Countryside Veterinary Center in very rough shape. The employees named her Zelda. Her hair was extremely matted. When she was shaved, she was skin and bones. As she was barely able to walk, they began the slow process of nursing her back to health.
Several years ago, the Riverside Police Department began using Countryside Veterinary Center for stray animals that are found. “The main reason we use Countryside Veterinary Center is because they are a no kill facility,” said Deputy Chief Gutschick.
In Zelda’s case, the center felt that she would do better by getting into a rescue so that she could go into a foster home to recover from her difficult past. According to Kelli Kaapke, the client service representative, Zelda had been through quite an ordeal.
When Zelda began to improve, the adoption team started to search for a rescue that could provide a secure setting to foster her healing. They finally found one that was interested in her case. All Life Is Valuable, NFP offered to take Zelda in and fell in love with her just as much as the Countryside Veterinary Center. She is now thriving!
Countryside Veterinary Center works with several local police departments in the surrounding area to take in any strays in an attempt to help find their owner. Kelli said, “We will scan for a microchip but if they don’t have anything to help us find their home like a microchip, nametag, or rabies tag, they will stay with us. They will be isolated for 7 days and if left unclaimed, they will go up for adoption.”
Before and after rescue photos-
