APAWS - Animal Protection and Welfare Society

Just a Few of Our Special Needs Animals

APAWS tries very hard to help the animals who come to us in need. Too many of these animals we are their last hope. Unfortunately, one thing makes helping them very difficult. We rely solely on donations from kind hearted people. Recently we have helped several animals which have our vet bills close to $10,000. We are begging for help in paying these bills so we can continue to help those animals in need in the Baton Rouge area. Please visit our website regularly for information on upcoming fundraisers.

Boo the Black Mouth Cur

Update - 3/13/2008: Last night we learned Boo had lymphoma. This disease is extremely hard to treat in dogs and the few chemo treatments that are effective only prolong the life of the dog for a few months. Based on the information received about the severity of his case we felt chemo would only prolong his suffering keeping him alive just so we didn't have to let him go. The volunteers involved spent the night crying and trying to think of the miracle that would save him, but they decided to put him to rest before he could feel anymore pain. Boo is one of the rare instances where the most humane thing is to let them go. Although Boo's foster mom and the APAWS volunteers feel little solace in knowing everything that could be done was done we know Boo is at peace.

Update - 3/12/2008: He has severe pnemonia and the lining of his small and large interstinal walls are twice as thick as they should be. This morning they aspirated his liver and lungs and sent several tests to be run. The LSU vet believes it to be Lymphoma in the small intestines or a fungal infection of the intestines.

Update - 3/11/2008: Boo has been transferred to the LSU vet clinic after passing blood clots this morning. Our vet felt LSU was better equiped to figure out what is happening with this sweet boy. On the ride to LSU Boo was alert. LSU required an $800 deposit prior to running any tests. We are having to leave some of our other bills unpaid in order to afford this deposit. We just hope LSU will figure out what is going on with Boo and he will be able home to come home this weekend.

Boo is a young black mouth cur. He came to APAWS as a very small puppy, was adopted and then returned because the other dogs in the family didn't like him. He is now at the awkard adolescent stage between a cute cuddly puppy and a full grown dog. The evening of Friday, March 7 2008 Boo's foster mom found him covered in blood. She rushed him to the vet thinking he had hurt himself. Boo had no external injuries, but was losing blood as diarrhea. He was also in severe shock with his temperature approximately nine degrees lower than normal. The vet sent Boo to the pet emergency clinic where he remained on an IV throughout the evening. Sunday Boo began vomitting blood. The blood work at the pet emergency clinic indicated an extremely low white blood cell count and abnormal liver enzymes. The vets who have seen him this weekend aren't sure what is wrong, but they are sure it is something with his liver. Boo needs more extensive testing done this week, most likely consisting of an ultrasound and/or biopsy. APAWS is still struggling to pay for the vet care received for our other special needs animals, Boo's emergency will make our budget very tight. We are dedicated to finding a way to give this little guy every hope possible. Please consider sending a donation for Boo - he needs all the love and support he can get!

Landon the Cat

Landon lived the first part of his life as a neighborhood stray. No real home, but friendly with all the neighbors. This is the story of too many cats. A cat population can explode in no time at all. Please Spay and Neuter your pets! One of the families who would put food out for the neighborhood strays saw Landon with an obvious eye problem. Remembering him as a sweet kitten and then a lovable adult she was horrified to see him in this condition. The usually friendly cat acted terrified of people and would not let her catch him. He had to be trapped and then APAWS took him to the vet. To even the most experienced rescuers he looked terrible. When we took him in he was in immense pain and lethargic. Once we gave him pain meds he turned out to be an incredibly lovable boy. The following business day we brought him to one of our vets. In order to examine him he had to be placed under anesthia. While he was under the vet realized this mass on his eye is a tumor that spreads to half his head. While he was stilll under the vet called APAWS to see if she could put him to sleep. Our volunteers went over every possible solution, but he isn't a candidate for radiation and was in extreme pain. We felt the only humane decision was to not wake him up from anesthia. This way we knew he would never be in pain again. Landon was not a candidate for radiation because he tested positive for feline leukemia. This disease is spread when a leukemia positive cats comes in prolonged, direct contact with a healthy cat. Cats allowed outdoors are at a great risk of getting feline leukemia or FIV. Both of these diseases shorten the life expectancy and without proper treatment lessen the quality of life for the cat. With proper care and an indoor home FIV and FeLV cats can live long, healthy lives. If a cat does test positive there is no need to prematurely end the cat's life. If your cats are allowed outdoors and you can't keep them inside please have your cats tested for FIV and FeLV. This simple test can save hundreds of lives. APAWS was only able to give Landon two days of love and comfort. Hopefully with his story other cats can be kept safe to live long, healthy lives.

Ditch the Basset/Lab puppy

Ditch was found by a student running down the interstate. The kind man pulled over on the side of the road and tried to catch this puppy running aimlessly down the street. Unfortunately, before Ditch could be caught he was hit by an eighteen wheeler and thrown into a ditch on the side of the road. Fearing the worst the man picked him up and took him to the vet. When told the potential cost and the vet's recommendation that the puppy be put to sleep due to extensive cost the man contacted APAWS. APAWS brought him to Sherwood South Vet Hospital and learned Ditch had two broken legs and ten broken toes. He never seemed to feel the pain of the exam and the vet examining him fell in love at first sight. After extreme discounts his surgical costs alone are over $2,000. Ditch is still being hospitalized until the vet feels he is safe to go home. At that time he will be in the care of a vet tech who volunteers for APAWS until he is completely healed.

Brutus the Mastiff

Brutus' former owner placed a collar on him as a very young puppy (2 - 3 months) and tossed this growing boy in the back yard. We were contacted by neighbors who saw Brutus roaming the neighborhood. Brutus was 11 months old and his collar had never been adjusted. His changing size caused the collar to be come deeply embedded in his neck. The buckle bruised his vocal cords. It took over a week, but with the help of EBR Animal Control and the kind neighbors we were able to catch him. Due to the extreme infection in his neck Brutus required emergency surgery and a long hospitalization. Brutus is now in his adoptive home, but we are still paying for his surgery and hospitalization. When found he was very scared of humans and terrified of collars. With the love of the vet staff and his foster home he now loves his new family. He still isn't sure about collars, but will allow his new dad to put a harness on him.

Hope the Pug

02/17/2008 Update: Hope is doing much better than any of us could have hoped. APAWS has decided not to adopt her into a permanent home until we are sure she does not need any other surgeries. Hope was at the CAAWS Mardi Gras parade in the APAWS booth. Everyone was amazed by the before pictures and the sweet, hyper dog she is now. Thank you so much for all of your support.

If you prefer donating via mail please donate to the organization at the following address: APAWS, P.O. Box 40981, Baton Rouge, LA 70835.

If you would like to sponsor one of our animals please Contact Us, as there are several animals in our group that are in need of continous medical treatment. We care for dogs who are in need of heartworm treatment, cats with FIV and other medical conditions (including one kitten who has cerebellar hypoplasia, megacolon, and eyelid agenesis). The veterinary care we provide for these animals can make it very difficult to be able to take in other animals, but we feel that these animals deserve a fighting chance and a wonderful life. Please consider helping our special friends so we may give them and other animals who need help the medical care they deserve.

I would like to sponsor the vaccinations for an animal - $20.00

I would like to sponsor a heartworm test (dog) or FIV/FeLV test (cat) - $25.00

I would like to sponsor a spay/neuter for an animal - $35.00

I would like to sponsor the heartworm treatment for a dog - $250.00

Visit our Available Pets to see all of the wonderful animals that are in need of loving forever homes. Here are just a few looking for their new families. Click on their pictures to see their Petfinder Descriptions.

From left to right: Fletcher, Friskey, Flash and Duchess

"I have developed a deep respect for animals. I consider them fellow living creatures with certain rights that should not be violated any more than those of humans." ~Jimmy Stewart

Cat and Dog Fosters Needed

At this time we are in desperate need for cat and dog fosters.

If you can help please Contact Us to find out how you can help some of our needy pets.