It was just another ordinary Thursday. A community member stopped by the Rescue Ranch Adoption Center with a stray 6-week-old puppy. The finder had seen several puppies running along a road in the Vistas, but this was the only one he could catch. Perhaps it was because she was unwell–staff noticed the puppy appeared weak on intake. We dubbed her Rolo and brought her to the Sanctuary, where manager Laura Finley settled her into a cozy quarantine pen for the night. When she checked before daybreak next morning, the puppy was clearly ill. Sure enough, the parvo test came back positive. We had another sick puppy to rescue.
A tough year for puppy care
Laura sent Rolo up to Southern Oregon Veterinary Specialty Center for treatment. Despite their round-the-clock care, the puppy’s condition continued to deteriorate. Ultimately, the humane decision was to let her go.
Rolo was the 33rd puppy we’ve treated for parvo so far this year. Most of them have happier stories. Of the 33 parvo pups, only 4 did not survive. The other 29 were never symptomatic or recovered and went on to thrive in loving families. Or, in the case of Triton (recently returned), they’re still waiting to be adopted.
That’s a success rate of approximately 88%. The parvovirus monoclonal antibody treatment has improved our success, but it’s expensive. Our parvo treatment costs so far this year come to $13,386. That’s about $400 on average for every puppy treated, not including the 24/7 supportive care of our loving staff.
And of course, these cases are in addition to our regular puppy intakes. As of October 21st, we’ve taken in 227 puppies–and we still have two months left in the year! This seems incredible but is actually very consistent with our puppy intakes for the past several years. We took in 236 puppies in 2023, 268 in 2024, and 236 in 2025. That’s a staggering number of pups to raise and find loving homes for. When you add the fact that budget cuts have forced us to reduce our staff and trim every possible expense, it’s no exaggeration to say we’re hanging on by the skin of our teeth.
Saving lives, one sick puppy at a time
Nevertheless, when it comes to giving each puppy their best chance at living a happy life, there is no other choice. It’s our mission, after all. Our fundamental belief is that every dog was born to enjoy a life of love. It’s our honor to give every puppy that chance.
Each time a sick puppy recovers and goes on to bring happiness to a loving family, it’s a vindication of the passion, dedication, and energy our team throws into this life-saving work. Whereas for many municipal shelters a positive parvo test is a death sentence, for us it’s just another hurdle to cross. It’s been a tough year, but we’re as committed as ever.
In these tough times, the support of our community is more crucial than ever. There are so many ways to help, and we’re grateful for every single adopter, foster family, and volunteer. Here are few things you can do to help us save dog lives:
- Spay/neuter your pet! Spay/neuter is the only way to halt pet overpopulation and end unnecessary suffering.
- Foster a rescue puppy. We desperately need foster families to help us give our growing pups the socialization they need. Fostering is flexible and can range from an afternoon in the park to a week or two in your home.
- Encourage your friends to choose a rescue pup!
- Become a monthly donor: join our Kennel Squad program.
- Give to Kitu’s Fund for high-cost and emergency care.
