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An animal shelter in South Carolina has been inundated with donations after a sick dog was found tied up outside with a note saying she needed to be 'put down as soon as possible'.
Anyone who's ever had to go through the horrendous experience of having a pet put down will know that it's not something you want to rush into if you can avoid it; in fact I'm sure any loving pet owner would be more than happy for their animal companions to live forever.
With that in mind it's hard to understand why a pet owner would advise an adoption centre to end the life of their pet, especially while simultaneously giving up ownership of the animal.
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Still, this is exactly what happened in South Carolina earlier this week, when Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix Remy was found tied to a pole outside the Greenville Humane Society with nothing but a note to explain her situation.
It wasn't surprising for the animal shelter to find Remy 'abandoned and alone'. As awful as it sounds, similar situations have been have been happening 'more and more frequently' in the US, according to the shelter, with the abandoned animals causing a 'strain on shelters everywhere'.
Rescuers working at the shelter quickly brought Remy inside for food and a veterinary evaluation, but the check-up revealed she is suffering from a grade six heart murmur; the most severe type of murmur which can even be felt through the chest wall.
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Her illness was referenced in the note found with Remy, which explained the owner 'could not take care of her the way she needed to be'.
"She has illnesses I don't believe are fixable," the note said, adding: "She needs to be put down as soon as possible."
The shelter explained the dog would require 'an echocardiogram, at minimum', adding "Depending on what is found during the procedure, Remy may require surgery or a lifelong medication regime."
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Although the Greenville Humane Society can usually rely on its Hope Fund to cover the costs of care for cases such as Remy's, the shelter said it was 'in the negative' after having 'more sick and injured animals in our care recently than we have the funds for'.
"We know shelters everywhere are in the same predicament. But right now, Remy needs your help. The other 95 sick or injured animals in our Healing Place need your help. Any donation, big or small, is greatly appreciated. We won’t give up on them, and we hope you won’t either," the shelter wrote.
The post was quickly flooded with comments from caring Facebook users, many of whom had announced their donations.
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After just two days, the shelter posted an update to thank the community for its support, saying: "Your support makes it possible for us to continue to care not only for Remy and her unique medical conditions, but also for the other 95 current dogs, cats, kittens, and puppies receiving extra care in our Healing Place."
Hopefully Remy will go on to live a long and happy life.
Emily Brown