In addition to getting dumped, D.R. just got neutered.
The staff at Lone Mountain Veterinary Hospital used money from New Hope Pet Alliance to pay for the Akita-chow's mix recent operation.
But their efforts to find the person who illegally dropped off the year-old dog on Deer Run Road early this month have led to few clues - only two calls, neither of which revealed any of D.R's story.
"Every client has come in and said 'great story,' but there have been no leads about it at all," said Margie Quirk, an employee of Lone Mountain Veterinary Hospital.
Quirk and her husband found D.R. wandering across Deer Run Road on July 1. They saw a man standing with a dog near the back of a truck that had all its lights off. The man drove away, and Quirk and her husband turned around and found D.R.
"He is just a very friendly dog," Quirk said.
Something about the desolate area just off of Highway 50 East drives people to abandon their animals there and leads people to believe their animals will survive, she said.
"I've picked up 15 dogs in 10 years," she said. "And I've picked up one cat."
Dog dumping is punishable by six months in jail and up to a $500 fine.
Now D.R. can look forward to a new future since he's been found and neutered and adopted.
"What happens is, the city only has so much they can allocate for injured animals that are found that are stray," Quirk said. "New Hope paid for D.R. to be neutered. New Hope provides for these other animals that might otherwise be euthanized to be able to get medical aid and put up for adoption."
Last weekend, Lone Mountain Veterinary Hospital held a flea market and raised $1,000 to put into its own account to be used to treat pets brought in through the animal shelter.
"This is the first time we've done (a fund-raiser) like this," Quirk said. "We were trying to come up with ways to, one, help out, and two, put our name out there, too."
She said the hospital hoped to raise about $2,000 from sales, but "I think we would have raised more if it wasn't so hot."
New Hope Pet Alliance was started by Pat Wiggins, supervisor of Carson City Animal Services. Saturday afternoon, after the flea market, he came by with a horse trailer to pick up several big items to re-sell at another flea market that will be announced within the month.
"Pat is the one who set this whole thing up," said Quirk. "He has turned Animal Control around. It used to be that most of the animals that came in would be lucky if they got adopted."
Leftover flea market items include a set of skis, golf clubs, kitchen items, baby toys, a recliner and more. Every $75 covers the cost of spaying or neutering a dog, which then means it can be put up for adoption.
"New Hope lets the public be aware that it is possible to have more animals saved and placed into adoption," Quark said.
Anyone with information on D.R.'s abandonment or who wants to donate to New Hope Pet Alliance may call Wiggins at animal services at 887-2171.
n Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.
