If you want to add a large and loveable companion to your life, now is the perfect time! Presented by Xfinity, the ‘Big Heads, Bigger Hearts’ adoption special runs through Valentine’s Day at the Humane Society of Utah (HSU). Thanks to generous support from Xfinity, adoption fees are waived for all adult large-breed dogs!
Love For Large Dogs
Find love this Valentine’s Day, and consider adopting a large dog! On average, large-breed dogs experience a longer length of stay at HSU when compared to their smaller counterparts. A big dog can seem like a big commitment, so large-breeds often get overlooked. But we know a large dog can be a great companion for the right adopter. And who knows what you might learn if you take a look around! That 65 lb pup might be a gentle and easy-going couch potato. Or maybe that large-breed sweetheart is the perfect companion for getting out and exploring nature.
An Adoption Special: Presented by Xfinity
From Sunday, February 11th through Wednesday, February 14th, HSU waives adoption fees for all adult dogs over 60 lbs. Thanks to our generous friends at Xfinity, we can help remove financial barriers so more adopters can bring these loveable large-breeds home! We are so grateful for our partnership with Xfinity, allowing us to address the needs of our animals and our community. If you are looking for a companion with a big heart, a big personality, and a big paw print, the time has never been better! Swing by for our ‘Big Heads, Bigger Hearts’ adoption special, presented by Xfinity!
Our staff fell in love with a sweet cat named Mags (formerly Lucy Goosey) when she came to the Humane Society of Utah (HSU) in October 2023. This affectionate senior girl loved nothing more than getting cuddles from the staff and volunteers at HSU. Unfortunately, Mags’s sweet demeanor was not the only thing we noticed about her. Staff quickly recognized that she was in pain and struggling with her health.
Foster To The Rescue
Mags came to us with a swollen face and discharge coming from her nose and eyes. Her symptoms pointed to a chronic respiratory infection. Medical staff immediately started Mags on antibiotics to manage the infection and ease her discomfort. She was placed with Laura, one of our foster volunteers, so she could recover in a safe and comfortable environment. Foster volunteers are crucial to the healing process for so many sick and injured animals who come through our doors. We take pride in our clean and state-of-the-art facility and our excellent medical resources. But when an animal needs time to recover, we can all agree that nothing competes with a comfy couch, one-on-one attention, and the calm of a home environment. This is where our foster volunteers come in – opening up their homes and hearts to animals like Mags.
Laura took excellent care of Mags as we continued to monitor her health and progress. She needed multiple rounds of antibiotics and remained in foster for almost a month. As Laura recounts, “despite all of Lucy’s trials, she remained so sweet and cuddly. She would jump in your lap almost before you could sit down”.
A New Development
Although Mags was showing signs of progress in her foster home, she was not out of the woods just yet. Our medical team grew concerned, as Mags’s symptoms were not responding as expected to the medication. It was time to switch gears and try something new. Additional tests revealed that Mags was suffering from stomatitis, a severe oral inflammation. Poor Mags’s case was so severe her own teeth were causing her discomfort! Extreme as it may sound, the best solution was to remove her teeth entirely. With the problem identified, we wasted no time getting Mags into surgery so her path to comfort and healing could continue. Of course, Laura the caring foster volunteer was right there to help her through the final stage of recovery. Mags even got to spend the holidays out of the shelter and in the comfort of Laura’s home.
A New Beginning
Mags remained her sweet and cuddly self through all of her discomfort, treatment, and recovery. When she was healthy and ready to find a home, we knew someone would easily fall in love with her. Malena came to the Humane Society of Utah looking for a companion and instantly connected with Mags. She remembers, “After interacting with her and seeing how loving she was I knew I wanted to give her a home.” She knew right then and there, Mags was coming home with her.
Malena is happy to report that Mags has been in great health since her adoption. She has gone from the sick and injured cat who first arrived at HSU to an energetic and playful gal. Malena marvels at how Mags does not let her senior status or previous health challenges slow her down! “Although she is an old girl, she still has her zoomies and loves to play”. And of course, at the end of the day, Mags is still the sweet cat she has always been. As Melena describes, “she is the best at late night cuddles, and the most excited buddy to see you when you come home.”
Mags’s transformation was possible thanks to the vigilance of our medical staff and the dedication of our foster volunteers. Laura reflects on her experience as a foster volunteer, and the impact it had on herself and the animals. “It’s been such a meaningful experience for me and my kids while they were growing up. It’s such an important part of HSU so they can adopt out as many animals as possible.” We couldn’t agree more!!
If you are interested in fostering an animal like Mags, you can visit our foster page for more information. You can also support sweet cats like Mags by making a donation!
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