Nova arrived to us this fall, her face covered in painful porcupine quills. She was rushed into emergency surgery to remove them, many of which were on the roof of her mouth. It was clear she had previously had several litters of puppies.
The day that Nova unexpectedly arrived, our Animal Hospital team was in the middle of a full day of 18 spay/neuter surgeries. They quickly accommodated Nova, providing necessary care to remove the quills and bring this beautiful girl some relief.
Within 24 hours of Nova’s
surgery, her quiet and warm personality began to emerge. The name “Nova” is an astronomical term, describing a star that shines brightly before returning to it’s original state. Following her surgery, Nova lived up to her name, lighting up every room she entered and brightening the day of every new volunteer and potential adopter she met.
Keep checking back as we unfold Nova’s story throughout the month of November. Nova is one of nearly 2,000 animals who have received care from the GTHS Animal Hospital already this year. Follow along to hear the rest of Nova’s story.
Ten days after Nova’s initial quill removal and surgery, she needed to be sedated once more to have additional quills removed that had broken off below the skin’s surface. They had become lodged in her mouth and gums. The embedded quills elevated the risk of infection to Nova.
It hadn’t even been apparent that Nova was suffering from any pain prior to her second procedure. It was only after a volunteer had noticed her wince after touching her snout that a reexamination was needed.
After some careful monitoring after the extraction, Nova was ready to join our adoptable dogs, and begin the search for her forever home.
During her stay at the GTHS Animal Centre, Nova captured the hearts and attention of many of our volunteers and staff, as all our animals do. Nova became well known for her gentle spirit, love for endless belly rubs, and affectionate demeanor. She was even an adoptions ambassador for events in our community. Our team knew that it would not be long before Nova found her perfect family. And that is the next chapter of her story. Stay tuned…
We reached out to Nova’s adoptive family to hear them tell the story of how she came to join their family. Here’s what Nova’s new mom wrote back:
One of my favorite childhood memories was convincing both my parents to go to a local SPCA to adopt a family dog. Once they both agreed, we went as a family and came home with a dog that day. I thought I had the best parents for rescuing a dog and having a ton of patience to make our new family pet feel safe and content.
My girls have been asking for a pet dog for many years; they even wrote up a sweet request letter… I knew that one day I wanted to make it possible.
With my work life balance changing and my girls getting older, I found myself looking at local adoption website for dogs over the age of 3. I was checking daily for dogs at Georgian Triangle Humane Society as their write ups were honest and painted a picture of the dog’s needs which helped us figure out if our family would be a good fit.
My husband and I announced our decision to meet Nova, as long as all three girls agreed and would commit to making sure she would have a new life in a loving home, and they would provide dedicated attention. They came up with a schedule and promise pledge.
We drove three hours to meet Nova. We did not give much time. We arrived at 3:30, but we did not need any more time – by 4pm Nova was in our truck, sitting in the squishiest spot with five smiling faces heading back to her new home.
Follow along to read about how Nova is settling in at home… coming soon.
Since joining her family in October, Nova has been settling into her new environment, routines, and her new people. Her love for belly rubs has not gone away, and she is enjoying being on a large property once again. Looking at videos from her time at the GTHS Animal Centre, there is a bounce in her step now that she is in her new home. It has not all been perfect; like any new relationship and space, there are challenges as Nova and her family adapt to this fresh environment.
Here’s how Nova’s mom concluded her post-adoption note to us: GTHS Staff were so gracious to send us off with necessary items, advice, and honest facts about the first 72 hours and encouraged us to call for any continued support. I have called many times and always get return phone calls
with excellent advice.
A month has gone by, and we are so thrilled that Nova has adjusted so well to her new environment and her love for us is very evident. We continue to commit our time and energy to make her feel safe and secure. We adore Nova, her flaws, and imperfections; she has made us discover deep happiness.
Because of individuals like you, and the support you give to animals, the GTHS is enabled to provide medical care, safe spaces and loving homes for pets like Nova, uniting pets with people. We could not do the work we do without a community behind us. Nova’s story has a happy ending, but for every animal who accesses care through the GTHS, four other animals needing our support are denied access due to capacity limitations. Would you help us support the pets who come to us in need so we can provide the compassionate care they require? Until the end of November, all donations have triple the impact, thanks to a generous donation. Your financial support means the world to pets like Nova.
