Puppy's Death Inspires Hope for Other Pet Owners
WBAY
By Jenn Karlman
http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=6267081
A puppy that was hit by a car and later euthanized is leaving a lasting impression in Green Bay. The pup's owner is now on a mission to help other pet owners.
Pepper was a playful, nine-month-old pup whose life was taken too soon. A week ago, she ran out the front door and on to a busy Green Bay street. A van hit her, breaking her back legs in several places. She would need complicated and costly surgery.
Difficult Decision
"Every single vet told us if we had the money, she would have been fixed. If we had the money, they could have done the surgery right away," Sarah Poquette, Pepper's owner, said.
But Poquette didn't have the money. The surgery would cost $3,000. Poquette walked into the vet with ten.
"I offered them to garnish my wages, I offered them everything, but they just couldn't take the chance," Poquette said.
Packerland Veterinary Center, one of two clinics that perform that surgery, offered payment options but Poquette didn't qualify. "I'm 20 years old and my credit's already shot. It's hard. It's hard for a vet to say no. I know it is. I could see it."
"It's not 'not caring,'" she said. "It's not being able to afford the thousand-dollar surgeries that the vets say you ultimately need to have."
She put out flyers and donation jars trying to raise the money, but time was ticking and she ran out of options. Pepper was euthanized Wednesday afternoon.
Dennis Anderson is a local veterinarian. He said balancing the head and the heart is difficult. "It's a difficult thing to do, because you end up doing things you really want to do but really can't do as a business person."
In Pepper's case, he says Packerland did everything it could, including lowering the cost of the surgery and giving Pepper free pain medication.
"I sympathize with everyone involved here, but I reiterate that it is a business, and as much as we do, you wish you could do more," Anderson said.
Pepper's Inspiration
It was at that moment Poquette decided she wanted to make a difference and help other pet owners facing the same difficult decision.
"I want to try and get a foundation set up in Pepper's name for other animals so no one else has to go through this because they don't have the money," she said.
Poquette is still working out the details of the foundation -- how people can donate, how the money would be distributed, and so forth.
Veterinarian Neil Rechsteiner supports her idea. He puts down about 100 animals every year, he says, mostly for old age. He says if her foundation can save one animal, it can benefit the community.
"I think that is a really good idea for the people who have the need, maybe apply and get some financial help with it," Dr. Rechsteiner said.
Help is all Poquette wants to do, even if right now her wallet is empty.
People interested in helping the fund should contact Susan Montoya at by email at susanvictor@new.rr.com.
