A dog stranded during Super Storm Sandy is facing an even bigger challenge: Terminal cancer.
Rio, a 5-year-old black Labrador retriever, arrived at the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe last November. Rio and dozens of other pets came to San Diego after Super Storm Sandy destroyed their shelters on the East Coast.
Although she survived the hurricane, Rio’s struggles were just beginning. Veterinarians discovered the lab had terminal lung cancer.
Now, the staff at Helen Woodward is trying to find an adoptive family for Rio, who has just months to live.
The staff said Rio will require a special home. They said she gets tired quickly. Also, she can’t be spayed because the procedure would be too risky with her condition.
Caring for a pet with a terminal illness can be expensive. (The staff thinks that could be why Rio was abandoned her in the first place.) So Albertson’s/Sav-On has volunteered to cover all medical costs for Rio’s new adoptive family.
For more information on Rio and pet adoption, visit the Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Web site here.
