Daisy’s Spinning World—
Providence, Rhode Island

Flipping…twisting…twitching…spinning. A terrier mix, little Daisy’s body contorted uncontrollably on a stranger’s front porch. Thanks to a very kind animal control officer (ACO) who saw her as he was walking by, Daisy was taken to nearby Ocean State Veterinary Hospital in Rhode Island.

There, skillful veterinary hands combed every inch of Daisy’s petite body. The trail of evidence was as alarming as it was revealing . Clippers had been used to shave Daisy right down to her skin, leaving cuts and abrasions. Weighing in at only 7 1/2 pounds, her frame was a tightly drawn sheath detailing the major bones in her body with one small puncture wound on the top ofher head.

With no sense of balance, Daisy could not stand, sit, or lie down. Instead, she flipped, jerked and paddled. The only way to keep her from contorting was for the staff tohold her tight against their bodies. And then what would Daisy do? She kissed them any time she could.

Before making any fateful decision about Daisy’s life, the vets and animal control officer decided to wait 24 hours to see if her owners would show up. When her owners arrived, they told the hospital that Daisy had been wobbly “on the back end” from birth . She had jerky movements and fell down a lot, but managed.

Only 18 months old, Daisy had pottied in their house. The couple related to the hospital that they had put Daisy on the second floor balcony and left for work. After stating that she should be put down, the hospital received additional information that suggested Daisy may have been thrown from the second story balcony.

Enter Debbie Fahrenholtz, vet tech with the hospital. The veterinarian told her about Daisy’s plight and she was immediately willing to help. Debbie said, “It was awful to see her flail. I have never seen anything like it.”

Daisy’s caregivers celebrate each tiny step forward for the little dog. Now she no longer flails but she does totter and topple over.

Drugs, physical therapy and a tremendous amount of love have renewed Daisy’s body. And what is a healthy life for this little fighter? The vets and technicians have one major goal for her: to return her health to a happy, healthy dog with a wobbly back end. It could happen tomorrow, or perhaps never.

Debbie says it best, “Everyone stops what they are doing and celebrates each tiny step forward she has made. She brought so much joy to everyone at the hospital because she is such a miracle girl . They all come running and cheer and clap. She has been held and cuddled and loved so much by everyone. You can see a bouncy playful puppy inside just wanting to run and play.”

At The Mosby Foundation, we know there are no guarantees. But there is always hope. We were proud to sponsor a portion of Daisy’s recovery—proud because it was the right thing to do…and because good things come in small packages.