Let us introduce you to a special little lady… Her name is Clara and she is one amazing survivor.

Clara was rescued from a rural animal shelter where she was found as a stray. Clara immediately stood out to us not only for her adorable underbite and soulful brown eyes but also for being quiet, well-mannered and simply sweet. She also looked very similar to our director’s personal dog and so she instantly stole her heart! Shortly after pulling her we felt a small mass on her belly but were unsure what to think about it. During her first vet visit with our veterinarian, Dr. Bates, he discovered that Clara had small masses near each of her nipples. It also became clear that Clara has had more than a few litters in her life and at 8 years old had not been spayed.

Due to her age and the number of tumors present, Dr. Bates decided to tackle the situation aggressively by performing a double mastectomy, removing her mammary chains and as much breast tissue as possible. They removed a total of 10 tumors, all within the breast tissue. The tumors were sent to the pathology lab at UGA to be evaluated and with fingers crossed, we anxiously awaited the results. Imagine our elation when we received news that all of the tumors had been successfully removed with clear margins and that the cancer had not spread to any of the surrounding tissues! No further treatment was necessary!

Clara recovered like a champ- letting her foster mom clean and apply warm compresses to her large incisions twice daily without ever whining or trying to evade. Even the day of her surgery she was rolling around on her back asking for belly rubs! She didn’t even fight wearing the cone of shame!

Now that she is fully healed, Clara can live out the rest of her days just like any other pup her age! She is not expected to need any further treatment and chances of re-occurrence are low since almost all of her breast tissue has been removed. Clara is truly an angel and already possesses all the qualities that most people look for in the “perfect dog”. She has never had an accident in the house, makes fast friends with everyone (dogs, cats and people), requires minimal exercise, walks great on a leash and loves car rides! All Clara really wants from her forever home is a warm, comfy bed to lay in (whether it be yours or her own) and plenty of good ol’ fashion belly rubs! Can you give this beauty the second chance she deserves?

To fill out an application click here. If you don’t think you are ready to adopt, would you consider donating a small amount to help cover the cost of her surgery? Please share her story so that she can find the perfect family she deserves!