Injured and left to die, an abused dog begins a new chapter
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When the OHS Medical Center got the call, they were in shock. A stray dog had been found in rural Clackamas County, shot in the face and suffering from other wounds.
Her finders named her Bear and rushed her to Northwest Veterinary Specialists. Because of the severity and complexity of Bear’s wounds, Clackamas County Dog Services reached out to OHS to continue her medical treatment and open an investigation.
A close examination and x-rays found that Bear was shot in the face, breaking her jaw and fracturing teeth. A wound on her chest was consistent with a bullet exiting her body. She also had additional wounds on her face and neck.
Jennifer Buck from the OHS medical team was moved to tears when Bear arrived. “How could anyone do this?” she asked.
An investigation was opened and OHS offered a $500 reward to help get tips from the public. Without any witnesses and very little evidence, it was a challenging case.
Meanwhile, Bear was placed in one of OHS’s most experienced foster homes so she could continue to heal. When Bear first arrived at OHS, she was withdrawn and shut-down. With the love and guidance of her foster parent, Amanda, Bear gradually came out of her shell and blossomed into a gentle, affectionate dog.
Bear was eventually adopted by OHS employee Brian August and is the center of attention in her new home. She was renamed “Kevvie,” a nod to the word Kevlar that is symbolic of her resiliency. “We feel so lucky to have her in our life,” says Brian. “We’re going to make sure the only thing she knows the rest of her life is kindness and kibble.”
Even in her new home, Kevvie never forgot the people who found her and saved her life.
Tia and her family often wondered what happened to the injured dog that emerged from the woods on that dark night. They’d gone out to a remote area to watch a meteor shower, when the bloody, injured dog approached them from out of nowhere. “At first, we thought she was a bear cub,” says Tia. “Then we were horrified to discover she was a dog and in bad shape.”
Months later, Tia and her family returned to OHS for an emotional reunion with Bear/Kevvie and to meet the team at OHS who cared for her. Kevvie, normally a bit shy with new people, gently walked over, sat by their feet and gazed at them with her soulful eyes. Clearly, she never forgot the heroes who found her and saved her life.
“Kevvie’s case really tied together the whole community and that is what she represents,” adds Brian.
This holiday season, your gift has the power to change a pet’s story. Plus, all donations will be matched up to $50,000, courtesy of the Willard L. and Ruth P. Eccles Foundation!
Watch the tearful reunion below.
