An injured dog, covered in mud and matted fur, was found early this morning by three land surveyors who heard the sounds of crying.
Upon exploring the nearby creek close to Hampton Park and Whispering Lake in north Forsyth County, the surveyors discovered a dog stuck in deep mud crying out for help.
She was taken to Whitmire Animal Hospital in Dawson County where Dr. William Gholston has been caring for her and assessing her injuries.
“Nothing is immediately jumping out. She’s definitely tender, she’s sore. She was dehydrated so we’re trying to get her rehydrated, get her cleaned up, get all the mats shaved off her,” Gholston said.
The large female dog was named Harper by Gholston for her docile and sweet personality. She appears to be an Australian Shepherd/Blue Heeler mix weighing between 40-50 pounds.
When she was first brought in to the animal hospital, Gholston estimated Harper to be around 2-3 years old, however upon x-rays conducted in the afternoon, he said Harper could be anywhere from 8 to 10 years old given the signs of arthritis in her body.
The x-rays also revealed hip and elbow dysplasia common in older large dog breeds. Harper is also riddled with heartworms and will need to undergo heartworm treatment when she is stabilized.
Harper is not micro-chipped and an owner has not come forward to claim her.
“But I don’t see any signs of fractures…I think she was just so exhausted from trying to get out of the mud,” Gholston said. “She’s a super friendly dog.”
Whitmire Animal Hospital has received multiple calls from concerned community members asking how they can help Harper. An angel fund has been set up to help provide funds for homeless animals like Harper.
“People have been super awesome about calling and donating,” Gholston said. “The way people have been reaching out about it is unreal.”
Donations can be made to the angel fund for Harper’s medical care by donating through the Drew Couch Angel Fund on GoFundMe or credit card payment can be made over the phone by calling the animal hospital at (706) 265-1088 or by coming in to pay in person at 149 Whitmire Drive in Dawsonville.