As I discussed earlier this week, Alberta has been stunned by the heartless attack on Spike, a Boston terrier from Drayton Valley, who was brutally beaten and dumped in a garbage can with a bag tied around his throat last weekend. This is not the kind of thing a person wants to hear about happening anywhere, ever, much less in her home town.

Today’s post, thankfully, is to share all the good news! Spike has regained some function is his back legs, although not yet enough to walk, but the improvement hopefully indicates that this spunky little dog will recover from his paralysis. He is currently getting around a bit by dragging his hind legs in something akin to a doggie wheelbarrow race without the person in the back. Because the paralysis has not lifted sufficiently to let Spike control his bladder and bowels, he continues to wear diapers to keep him clean and comfortable.

Drayton Valley’s motto is “Pulling Together,” and as cheesy as that phrase is, it’s precisely what’s happening in the little town in the wake of this horrible incident. Big-hearted people from town (and also all over the place) have made donations to the fund for Spike, half of which will go to cover his medical costs, leaving the other half as a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who beat Spike so terribly. Some donations have even come from readers here at Blue Speckled Pup, which warms every part of my spirit. Thank you to all the people who have contributed to the recovery of this special little pooch, and to finding the person responsible for his suffering before another pet is harmed. I’m so buoyed to know that, although the world seems immersed in selfishness and cynicism, people still give to worthy causes.

I’ve had numerous requests for information about contributing to the growing charity fund. Setting up a charitable bank account for Spike has proven to be more difficult than anticipated. I suspect we would not have so many issues if a person needed help rather than a dog. I’ve been in frequent contact with Sarah Langford-Haselock, who is the woman walking her pug and putting up posters in the Global News story about Spike that ran earlier this week. Sarah has been doing the leg work around Drayton Valley and has hit wall after wall in dealing with the banks. Local business Indigo Petz has been taking donations for Spike’s fund, and has now offered to be a general contact for the fund. While it is possible to give donations to Indigo Petz over the telephone with Visa or Mastercard, the credit card companies scoop a big chunk of the donations as a fee. The most efficient way to donate to Spike’s fund if you can’t get there in person is to send a cheque via snail mail.

If you’d like to donate, here’s how to go about it.

Indigo Petz

telephone:  1(780)542-3596  Feel free to call for details!

5150 51 Street

Drayton Valley, AB T7A 1S9

Please include a note that clearly indicates your donation is for Spike.

If you would like to contact Sarah Landford-Haselock directly with questions about the fund, you can message her through Facebook by clicking here to access her Facebook page. As always, I am happy to respond to your emails at bluespeckledpup@gmail.com

Thank you to everyone who has come here to Blue Speckled Pup to read about Spike, and to all the people who have offered emotional and financial support to Spike’s family. The only remedy for people who harm the defenseless among us is people who are willing to stand up for the victims of senseless crime.

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