Singe came to us in 2004 as a victim of animal abuse, as she was dowsed in lighter fluid and set on fire. She was found by a client and rushed to our hospital in very critical condition. Fortunately, someone offered her some food which she very happily ate; this was her saving grace as we decided to give her a chance as long as we could keep her out of pain. After several surgeries, including a complicated and creative skin graft, and weeks of treatment, she survived – though minus a couple of her nine lives. No one was ever identified or charged for the terrible act of cruelty that brought Singe to us, but we are grateful she came into our lives and our hospital. For over thirteen wonderful and spoiled years, Singe helped educate about animal abuse and the possibilities of veterinary medicine. She sometimes acted as our official greeter at the front desk, in addition to keeping tabs on our hospitalized patients and offering moral support. She lived a happy, healthy life before succumbing to cancer in 2017.
Named in her honor, our Singe Fund was started with a donation from two of our wonderful clients to ensure that the cost of her care would be covered. We chose to instead designate that money to help cover some of the costs of special cases at our hospital. Thanks to the compassion and generosity of so many of our clients, the fund has evolved into an ongoing resource for our clients and their pets in cases where there is truly a need for assistance.
Sometimes donations are used for treatment supplies to care for orphaned puppies or kittens that a client is fostering, or for an injured pet with no known owner. Other times they are used towards complex surgeries or treatments when a financial supplement can make a real difference in the medical options available for some of our patients and their owners. In each case, our Singe Fund provides another way for us to continue Caring for Pets and their People.