“Saving one dog won’t change the world, but it will change the world for that one dog.” —tagline for Lily’s Legacy
dogs that stay at Lily’s Legacy permanently, staff members and volunteers—called Lily’s Angels—look after them. Among them, “cuddlers” spend time on a couch cuddling dogs seven days a week, and a “feeder” looks after the barn dogs. Each dog, regardless of where it goes, has a thorough vet check and tests as required. “We know exactly what their health situation is and what they need,” Mayn explains. “The level of care is significant. We don’t want to sacrifice that.” Various shelters throughout California reach out to Mayn, and Wentzell helps her to decide if they have the resources to help the dog and whether to take it. All the dogs get a medical exam on intake, and the vets obtain their medical records if possible, access their needs and bring their preventive care up to date. Because they’re seniors, “Many have preexisting medical conditions,” says Wentzell, and sometimes they have lumps and bumps that turn out to be cancer. After a thorough evaluation, the vets develop a plan for getting a dog into good health, and those with more serious conditions stay permanently at the sanctuary rather than being put up for adoption. Wentzell and Goetting then
they keep because, “sometimes we fall in love with them,” she says. They don’t get many that aren’t suitable for adoption. They just need to find the right family, and a dog might need some training or have special needs. Last year, she rescued a Labrador with a malignant tumor on her ankle, and her brother, which needed two major knee surgeries. Nonetheless, one couple adopted them both. In another case, a man with three dogs who were 7, 9 and 11 lost everything during the COVID-19 pandemic and had to give them up. The goal is to keep together dogs who are already bonded—and “We found a wonderful woman who adopted all three of them,” says Mayn. (The adoptive dog parent still keeps in touch with the original owner, she says.) Some dogs go to foster homes instead of staying on site. Those foster families look after them until they’re adopted or care for them after they’ve had surgery or have other problems that need attention. A foster coordinator follows up with them regularly, and Lily’s pays for medical care, as well as food, grooming and rides to the vet if necessary. As to the
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July 2024
NorthBaybiz 31
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