Updated information on the CO that was shot and paralyzed in North Carolina. From: Linden Spear Date: 4/22/2008 12:52:24 PM To: Gary Sicard; ayn middleton; Pat Newton Subject: Ericka, paralyzed Caucasian Mountain Dog Update on our friend Ericka: Ericka, as you may remember, was shot and left for dead in the woods of Raeford, N.C. She was subsequently surrendered to The Haven Friends for Life Animal Shelter. She has adapted heroically to her new circumstance. She has had to not only adjust to life as a paraplegic, but as a new mascot of an animal shelte, she is handled by strangers/new friends regularly as volunteers pitch in to meet her extra care needs and visitors pay their respects. She has been perfect with all comers and seems to really enjoy small children. It may be that, as we are not seeing the distrust of strangers that is a breed characteristic, that she is not a typey individual but it works for us as we could not manage a dog who didn't have an uncomplicated disposition. Recently she was invited by the N.C. State Vet school to participate in a drug trial for a new drug that may help both paraplegic people and dogs. She started this drug trail yesterday. She will be splitting her time for the next 6 weeks between our shelter in Raeford and the vet school in Raleigh. Again, we have had glowing reports about how sweet and cooperative she is. We also sent our other paralyzed dog with her, the beagle Emmy. It is nicer for them as they have become friends and can keep each other company while together in unfamiliar surroundings. While this drug is so experimental that we don't expect miracles for Ericka, if somehow her disability can yield some benefit to dogs and people in the ffuture then it softens the pain of Ericka's situation. We have received enough donations to purchase Ericka a wheel chair so she will soon be back playing fetch with balls and running with other dogs. We will send pictures of her in her cart when she returns from the vet school. Again, tax deductible donations can be made through our web site thehaven-nc.com to support her continued care. We hope to create a large fenced area for her soon as of yet we do not know how she will be within a group of other dogs, if she will need to be fenced or can just cruise on our farm. We will see what she needs to be happy and safe and keep you posted. -- You may have noticed that The Haven-Friends for Life has a new email address: thehavennc@gmail.com. Please update your address book to reflect this change. Thank you. Linden Spear, Executive Director The Haven-Friends for Life No-Kill Animal Shelter 400 Fulford McMillan Road Raeford, North Carolina 28376 Ph: (910) 875-6768 * Cell: (910) 977-5752 www.thehaven-nc.com