Lives Touched by the Reese Fund

Every animal's story is different. Some go on to find loving homes, while others face battles too great to overcome. Through the Reese Fund, each one receives the care, compassion, and chance they deserve. These are their stories. ❤️

‍Piglet

Piglet and Pooh came to TJO after concerned citizens reported the two dogs were suffering from severe neglect and starvation. Both dogs arrived emaciated, but while Pooh responded quickly to a careful refeeding plan, Piglet was in critical condition. The extent of her starvation had caused serious internal complications, requiring emergency blood transfusions and intensive medical care.

Despite the odds against her, Piglet fought hard, and thanks to the dedication of the veterinary team and the support of this community, she made a full recovery. She later entered foster care and was eventually adopted into a loving home where she could finally experience the life every dog deserves.

When TJO shared Piglet’s story, the response was overwhelming. Supporters donated more than $3,000 toward her care, while the Foundation covered over $8,000 in lifesaving medical expenses to give her a second chance. Because of compassionate people who refused to look away, Piglet’s story became one of hope, healing, and new beginnings. Help us be there for the animals who need us most.

‍Sampson

Sampson arrived at the shelter in mid-January. It was immediately clear he had been through a lot in his short life. His back right paw was unrecognizable, having been eaten away by a large tumor. Sampson was left untreated for a very long time and was forced to walk on the stump of what used to be his paw, now just an open, festering wound. Upon arrival at TJO, Sampson was immediately taken to surgery by the amazing vet team where his entire leg was amputated. The tumor was sent off to pathology where it was confirmed to be cancerous. Further imaging showed that the cancer had thankfully not spread to other areas of his body yet, and by removing his entire leg, the vet team had successfully removed all the cancer.

After his amputation, Sampson spent days under close veterinary care, receiving antibiotics, pain management, and monitoring. He was then placed in an experienced foster home where he continued to receive further medical supervision and a quiet place to heal. Unfortunately, Sampson's story does not end there. His recovery was not a smooth one. Soon after his amputation surgery, it was clear a large patch of skin surrounding his incision sight had become necrotic. Back under the knife Sampson went to remove the necrotic tissue before it caused further life-threatening complications for him. The necrotic tissue was successfully removed, and Sampson was soon back in his foster home to recover again. Sadly, Sampson's run of bad luck continued shortly after. Due to the amount of skin that Sampson had lost during his two operations, there was a lot of tension on the incision sight. Due to this, the sutures began to come undone, resulting in a large open wound. He was whisked off to the vet for a third time to close the wound again. Everyone held their breath after, hoping Sampson's luck would finally turn around and he would have no further complications- and thankfully it did!!! Sampson finally began to heal in both body and spirit.

Despite all he had been through, Sampson proved to be the sweetest, most loving guy. He flourished in his foster home with all his human and animal friends. He was clearly thankful to be living a pain free life for the first time in a long while. When the time came for him to finally find a home of his own, he found the most perfect family with a lovely, retired couple. He is thoroughly enjoying the retirement life of relaxing on the couch with his family and not having a care in the world.