Lady, a 15-year-old dog, was found abandoned and trembling in Central Park. Christine Walsh, a local resident and longtime animal advocate, discovered her and immediately brought her home, saying simply, “She needed someone – and I was there.”
Lady’s microchip traced her back to Colorado with a birth year of 2010, but sadly, the chip was never registered, so there’s no way to identify her previous owner. Despite her condition and age, Lady’s story has brought together a small community of kind-hearted strangers. Just five minutes after Christine rescued her, another dog owner, Rashmita (Rashi) Redkar, offered to split the medical costs and has since been a strong source of support.
Lady is in fragile health, suffering from arthritis, possible dementia, hearing loss, and benign lymphoma. She also has neurological issues and severe dental needs. At first, she was overmedicated, leaving her disoriented and sedated. Shortly after her initial vet visit, she spiked a dangerously high fever and had to be rushed to the Animal Medical Center, where she was treated for a possible stroke.
As of July 20, Lady is stable. She’s alert, eating again, and beginning to regain her balance. Though her medical bills have already reached $13,000, support continues to pour in from caring individuals.
Once discharged, Lady will need continued neurological and geriatric care, arthritis management, further testing for her heart and lymphoma, a special diet, and in-home adjustments to keep her comfortable.
Christine and Rashi are doing everything they can to ensure that Lady lives the rest of her life with dignity, safety, and love.