Photo Gallery

Perhaps the most powerful recollection I have involves a man and his dog, Kiki. He had called our clinic, after his dog had cut a paw, hearing we might be able to help. He was just able to pull together the last of his money to get enough gasoline to drive his four-footed friend the twenty miles to our clinic. I walked into the exam room to find the man waiting quietly on the corner bench with his baseball cap pulled deliberately low over his face. The cap only partially hid the severe disfigurement of his young face—scars and distortions of terrible injuries and burns. I listened to his story and found myself with a lump forming in my throat. Here in front of me sat one of our unsung heroes, a survivor of an explosion in a battle in the Middle East, a brave U.S. Marine.
Back in Colorado, his courage did not stop, when this still-recovering soldier happened by a burning building. A dog trapped in a kennel on the first floor was frantically whining and barking as the flames grew around him. Unable to stand by, our hero broke past the authorities, rescuing the dog from the blaze. Both suffered serious burns, but a deep bond formed and he was able to keep Kiki as his companion. That was a year ago, but, unfortunately, all his disabilities and medical expenses continued to keep this young man in financial ruin. In the exam room with me, Kiki calmly yet intently watched his beloved owner, while the young man calmly, yet intently, watched me—hoping that this time, I could help him.

As a current student, he had very little resources for things beyond his daily needs; but thanks to the generosity of donors through the establishment of the Mercy Fund, which subsidizes our veterinary services for those most in need, our unsung hero and his companion were able to receive the veterinary medical care sorely needed.

Even with the donor-subsidized veterinary care offered at Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital, it is possible that, due to an owner’s total lack of financial resources, the only options to relieve an animal’s suffering are euthanasia or relinquishment to a humane organization. It is a primary goal of the Mercy Fund to keep the human-animal bond intact in the face of an acute medical issue that, when resolved, will restore the animal’s health. Picture here is Meowie, who came to Harrison Memorial for severe dental disease affecting her ability to eat. Mercy Fund dollars provided the care needed preventing euthanasia as an option.

Harrison Memorial serves clients and animals that face special circumstances every day, and one such case is Sam, a one-year-old male Husky. Sam was hit by a vehicle outside his home; severely damaging his back left leg. His owner, a disabled war veteran, brought Sam to Harrison Memorial, where Sam’s leg had to be amputated—but Sam made a quick recovery and was able to return to home with a very grateful owner shortly thereafter. Because of the donor subsidies offered at Harrison Memorial, we are able to keep animals such as Sam with their owners. There is nothing as special as the bond between a human and his or her animal. Every day at CVMF, through our many programs such as Harrison Memorial, we strive to help preserve the human-animal bond for thousands of clients in need each year.

Odis, an 8 month old American Bulldog, came in to Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital having swallowed a sock. He appeared quite stable, happy and wagging his tail and the prognosis seemed great. Well, surgery showed a different story entirely. He did, indeed, have a sock in the stomach, but also a string foreign body throughout his intestines. Parts of his intestine ruptured and had to be removed.
Recovery became a touch-and-go situation, with Harrison Memorial staff fearing that they might lose him. But Odis pulled through and was discharged a day later, doing very well!

Odis is a great pup with great owners. His family consists of a young couple with two young kids. Odis means everything to them. He is part of their family.

It is in situations like these that Harrison Memorial is able to serve its community best. This family had to go above and beyond an unexpected cost to care for Odis’ medical needs, and through the generosity of our donors, Harrison Memorial was able to help offset the veterinary medical cost for Odis.

Diego is a two-year-old domestic long hair kitty that was brought because he had been vomiting for five days. He was depressed and dehydrated, but lovingly wrapped in a beautifully crocheted blanket his owner had made. Hospital staff suspected an intestinal foreign body, and, despite the hospital preparing to close for the day, rallied together and rushed Diego into surgery. Sure enough, after exploring the stomach and three additional places in the intestines, the surgical team removed the yarn Diego had swallowed from his GI tract. Although Harrison Memorial generally does not hospitalize over the weekend, staff volunteered to look after Diego to make sure he was doing okay after his ordeal. Happily, Diego recovered well over the weekend, and was ready to go home the following Monday morning.

Because of the initial diagnosis and expense of surgery, Diego’s owner was faced with the difficult reality of euthanizing her beloved pet because she just could not afford the immediate and necessary care Diego needed. With the help of donor-subsidized funds that covered well over half of the medical cost, Diego was afforded the care he desperately needed and can now continue to live a happy life with his loving owner.

Evelyn recently lost her husband so her son decided she needed a companion and purchased a cat from the local pet store. Evelyn was thrilled to have a new friend in the house with her and named the cat, Samson. However, she noticed that Samson was having trouble walking and was favoring his right hind leg. Evelyn’s son heard about the Colorado Veterinary Medical Foundation’s Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital and scheduled an appointment for Evelyn and Samson. The Harrison Memorial medical team discovered Samson had an orthopedic problem stemming from a previous injury. Evelyn wanted to make sure her new companion had the proper treatment for his injury, even though she is a senior and living on a fixed income. Evelyn certainly loved her cat, but she could not afford to provide the type of veterinary care Samson needed. Harrison Memorial was able to supplement Samson’s veterinary cost through donor-subsidies that were provided to Harrison Memorial. Our medical team was able to perform a femoral head osteotomy, a common veterinary procedure, to alleviate joint pain and Samson was able to make a full recovery and be the companion Evelyn needed. 

 Candy, a 16-year-old shitzu, lived in the home of a man who was neglecting her. Rick, a neighbor to the dog’s owner, offered to take Candy in when he saw that she needed a new, loving home. Rick brought Candy to Harrison Memorial to have her health checked. Due to the neglect, some severe medical problems were diagnosed: severe dental disease, a heart murmur, and maggots, impacting her ability to eat and properly digest her food. Rick, like many of our clients, took on the care of an animal in need, despite lacking the financial resources to pay for the full cost of veterinary care. Harrison Memorial’s staff was able to provide donor subsidized dollars to help meet the cost of Candy’s medical care. Thanks to the generous donations from our donors and everyday heroes like Rick, Candy, is well on her way to being able to eat and digest her food again.

Shannon is a recent high school graduate who lives with her older sister and younger brother on a limited income. Kat von Kitty, a seven-month-old black domestic shorthair, was found tangled in Shannon’s screen door and needed immediate attention. Shannon took Kat von Kitty to Harrison Memorial, where medical staff diagnosed Kat von Kitty with a fractured distal epiphysis of right femur, or a severe broken leg. Kat von Kitty’s medical condition was severe and treatment costs were estimated at over $1,000. Because of her circumstances, Shannon qualified for Harrison Memorial’s services—donor subsidized veterinary services for economically disadvantaged clients. During the amputation surgery, Harrison Memorial medical staff was able to accurately and effectively keep Kat von Kitty comfortable and safe as well as during her recovery.

Worthy took in a dog in need of a home. Worthy’s neighbor had a dog named Saucey, a twelve year old dachshund. When his neighbor passed away, the family couldn’t take care of Saucey. Fearing he might have to be euthanized, Worthy adopted him. Worthy brought Saucey to Harrison Memorial for a dental examination and was diagnosed with severe oral disease, symptoms of which include yellow and brown build-up of tartar along the gum line, inflamed gums and persistent bad breath. While simple measures such as teeth brushing and regular dental visits help prevent oral disease, Saucey’s medical condition was severe and treatment would be costly. Worthy is a retiree and living on a fixed income, so he qualified for Harrison Memorial’s veterinary services offered at a reduced rate because of generous donors and community support. Saucey was treated and is living a happy and healthy life.