Lucy's heartbreaking story

From Marie, Lucy's foster mom:

Hi Everyone,

Scott and I joined lots of other volunteers tonight to meet the transport with 9 incoming rescues. Among them was our newest foster, a great dane named Lucy. We knew Lucy was in bad shape - positive for Erlichia (deer ticks), Demodex mange, skin and bones and scared. She has a bit of a fever. She is so thin that I couldn't microchip her tonight - there was not enough fat under the skin to get it in without her bleeding everywhere. We were told she was between 5-9 years of age.

Well, she was pretty scared at the intake, but she basically just hid her face in Scott's leg. We got her home - after she completely stunk up the car because she just smells soooooo bad. Introductions were made with the cat, the Pomeranian, Shiloh the lab and Asher the 9 month old dane, plus our other foster Dixie the english mastiff who is on day 3 of very painful heartworm treatment. The introductions went well - I was so proud of my pack and especially Dixie.

I fed Lucy 2 cans of puppy food which she totally scarfed down like she is afraid she will never see food again, tried to get her to go potty - she has yet to go as I write this, and then we took her in to get a bath.The bath was one of the most heartbreaking things I have done in rescue. I had to pick her up and carry her into the shower. I scrubbed her for 90 minutes until she and I were both bloody. I could not get the water to rinse clear....it continued to be black and then gray with thousands of scabies from the mange, and a handfull of ticks that were still attached and sucking blood. It was gross and heartbreaking. About 25% of what little fur she had came off during the shower. I will bathe her every day until this in vanquished. She deserves it. They ALL deserve it.

I am so proud to be a part of this team. We save lives every day. And these sweet souls deserve to be saved, and loved in a forever home that treats them with dignity and respect and compassion, and gives the time to adjust to being a normal dog.Lucy does not answer at all to her name, so we are going to call her Isabelle - Izzy for short. It means vow of God in Hebrew, and I intend to keep my vow to her to get her whole and healthy.

Blessings to each of you for whatever you do to help these sweet dogs. To be able to help them is a blessing for each of us.