KC Pet Project in Kansas City, Missouri takes in about 30 rescued animals every day. There are dogs and cats ready to find new homes right away, and then there are the dogs that come in needing serious help. Many of them are diagnosed with parvovirus.
Parvovirus is a serious viral disease that starts in a dog’s intestinal tract and attacks the white blood cells before doing damage to the heart. It’s highly contagious, and many puppies and adult dogs don’t survive. Treatment involves a long hospital stay with aggressive supportive care, and shelter dogs with parvo are at a serious disadvantage. There isn’t always money or resources to go toward their care, but Shannon Wells from KC Pet Project is determined to make a difference.
Shannon is a recipient of the Petco Foundation’s Unsung Hero award for her incredible work at KC Pet Project. She has dedicated her life to saving animals in need, and she’s known for working long hours and handling difficult situations. Her latest project, the parvo ward, is part of her mission to never give up on a single animal. No matter how sick a puppy is, Shannon is committed to doing whatever it takes to save a life.
The parvo ward at KC Pet Project is a safe haven for the puppies and dogs with nowhere else to go. Because parvo is extremely contagious, the residents of the parvo ward are quarantined during their treatment. They receive care from experienced veterinary staff, and Shannon makes sure every one of her parvo patients receives the love they need. Her job means staying at the shelter long into the night and holding the paws of puppies on the brink of death. Not every puppy and dog can be saved, but Shannon and her team have worked nonstop to save the dogs no one thought would live. So far, they’ve saved 500 puppies and dogs and have achieved a 90% save rate.
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Under Shannon’s care, tiny puppies so overcome with fever that they can barely lift their heads transform into playful youngsters excited about taking on the world. Even when a dog’s condition improves, Shannon doesn’t stop caring. Many of the puppies in the parvo ward are quarantined during the time they would otherwise be learning the basics of training and socialization. Those experiences are vital to a dog’s development, and Shannon doesn’t want her parvo puppies to miss out. To make sure they’re ready for the world outside the parvo ward, Shannon spends her free time training them and introducing them to new things. By the time they are carried out of the parvo ward to the sound of Shannon humming “Pomp and Circumstance,” they’re more than ready to live long, happy lives with new families.
Thanks to Shannon’s hard work as a Petco Foundation Unsung Hero, there are at least 500 parvo survivors in the Kansas City area living their best lives. She doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon, and you can follow life at the KC Pet Project parvo ward on Instagram.
Featured image via Facebook/KC Pet Project
