Aspen

Aspen was a celebrity from the start. We received multiple tags in multiple online groups to help save this big-eyed beauty. She was on the euthanasia list with her final day being April 10th and everyone was reaching out to see what can be done to save her. With help from the community, we were able to pull her out mere days before, on April 7th. She was marked as “for rescue only” due to a large, pendulating mammary tumor she had on her stomach. We had caught her in the nick of time and with no name for her or knowledge of her past there was nowhere for Aspen to move but forward.

She was located at the Wichita animal shelter while we were in Columbia, Tennessee. That’s quite a bit further away. There were some logistics to work out but thanks to the generous help of local volunteers (thanks Serenity and Sharon!) we were able to get her out and to us. That was when we named her Aspen - after one of our young friends in Kansas. It is the perfect name because of her lovely snow-kissed face! Her popularity with the locals was what helped navigate her jailbreak and we were able to set up our account at the vet right away to get her tumor looked at. Our volunteers picked her up promptly and took her straight to the vet for a check-up and a makeover (not that she needed one) to get her all clean. She was finally resting comfortably with our volunteer and her family in wait for the next step on her new journey.

Not long after, she was scheduled for surgery on Thursday 4/14/22. We were all so excited and hoping for the best. We needed to raise her goal to accommodate her overnight stay at the hospital but her popularity and support were unending!  Everyone on all of our outlets were letting their love and hope for her be known, it truly kept us going anytime there was any worry or doubt.

Then, the preparation finally came. She needed to wear a cone for a short time and she definitely wasn’t loving it. But don’t worry, she still looked great as she always did. Plus, her spirits were kept high. Her tail was wagging and she was as happy as a clam almost all the time. After 2 weeks she had a follow-up and she was finally cleared for travel. We were looking down multiple different avenues as means of transport- including Pilots for Paws but had no luck. We needed to get her from Witchita to Nashville. Soon enough we received an offer from someone to drive her to Southern Indiana. It wasn’t quite the target, but it was a few hours closer and it was a start!!

We were finally going to be able to meet this sweet girl after she had stayed so long with our volunteers. She was also going to finally be getting the much-needed surgery she needed. Once again we were so overwhelmed with how many hands were reaching out in support of Aspen. It was truly a miracle how many hearts this sweet girl was able to capture.

Finally, the day of surgery was upon us…and it went fantastically! The mass turned out to be a mast cell tumor but all of the margins that came back were clear, so everything would be fine! Aspen’s trip back to us was delayed several times but on the following Monday, another set of volunteers picked her up and headed to us in Indiana. From there, it was planned that a volunteer pilot from Pilots N Paws would scoop her up and bring her to Nashville. That was when we got even better news. About two hours or so into the first part of trip, her volunteer escorts called and asked to ADOPT her right then and there!!

Every moment until this point was only made possible due to all of the love and attention that Aspen was able to garner for herself. She was a simple pup that somehow burrowed her way into all of the hearts that she came into contact with. We were so excited and thrilled about how bright her future was looking, and even now as she spends the long summer days with her new family we know her adventure is far from over. Thank you Aspen for wagging your way into all of our lives and connecting us with your adorable face. You, your new family, and all of the amazing donors on our social media and on CUDDLY have made this all possible! You will always be a part of our Russell Rescue family!!