Injured German Shepherd Thriving Under Lake Forest Charity Care

Schatzi is like any other German shepherd. She likes to be scratched behind her ears and could eat treats all day. While she is no longer a puppy at 3, there’s still something puppy-like about her barely contained energy. 

Sitting, her caretakers at the Alicia Pet Care Center admit, is not Schatzi’s strong point.

Surviving is.

Just two weeks ago, on May 26, Riverside County animal control officers delivered Schatzi to an area animal shelter. An accident—a garbage truck had hit the dog and then dragged her along— had left her with a large wound on her left side, the skin and fur scraped off to expose the muscle underneath. She was deemed too injured for adoption and would be put down within two days. 

Hoping to find someone who would be able to do something for the dog, a volunteer at the Riverside shelter sent an email about Schatzi to Coastal German Shepherd Rescue. The next morning, someone from the Lake Forest-based group drove to Riverside and brought Schatzi to the Aliso Pet Care Center, where she has been recuperating under the watchful eye of veterinarian Matthew Wheaton.

Tiffany Norton, CGSR’s president, says she rarely sees injuries as severe as Schatzi’s. In most cases, Norton said, animals in that condition “are euthanized very quickly, because massive infections set in.”

So far, Schatzi is responding well to treatment. Laser therapy and sugar packing (a technique used to heal open wounds), along with courses of pain medication and antibiotics, have held off infection and allowed new skin to grow in the affected area. In a month or two, Schatzi could be ready for adoption.

Norton has already received several inquiries about adoption. She said she hopes one of these applicants will be a good fit.

“We are looking for the same things we look for in any adopter,” Norton said, “someone who will provide a caring home and make the dog a member of the family, someone who can look past the scar on her side and see that she is just a big, happy dog.”

The rescue continues to raise money for Schatzi’s veterinary bill. Donors have already contributed $3,000, but the rescue needs at least another $1,000 to cover the total cost of treatment. 

To Norton, the challenges involved in bringing a dog like Schatzi back to health come with ample rewards.

“These dogs don’t have a chance without us," she said. "To see them transformed and in a good home is amazing.”

Donations can be mailed to Coastal German Shepherd Rescue, 23600 El Toro Road, P.O. Box 276  D, Lake Forest, CA, 92630 or submitted at the Coastal German Shepherd Rescue's website.