Special Pals, one of Houston’s largest no-kill animal rescues, has received in its care the most severe animal neglect case in its history, the organization announced in a press release. “Valor” arrived on June 3, brought in by a long-time volunteer of Special Pals who responded to a Facebook plea for help. Valor had been living in a forest area near a rural farm and was considered a nuisance. The residents of the farm asked the dog not be fed or cared for as that would keep him near and if he remained, he would be shot.

“In the history of Special Pals, we have never seen such a severe case of malnutrition and neglect, “ said Becky French, Executive Director of Special Pals. “This gentle creature was once someone’s pet, a beloved family member -- as we see, he loves people and has basic manners. His case is so severe we aren’t even sure what breed he may be, but for his size, he should be double his current weight. He was most likely dumped and left to die but I think Valor had other ideas. His recovery will be long and will take extensive time and money, but when we met this trusting little soul, we knew we had to help him fight for his life and hope the community will help. The rescue is currently over capacity and overwhelmed with kitten season, but we knew we had to urgently step up and save this dog.”

“When Valor arrived, Special Pals medical staff were shocked he was alive and responsive,” French continued. “Valor has been in our care for 24 hours so clinical staff are optimistic on his recovery but he remains under constant care and observation. His condition is so severe we are being cautiously optimistic about his recovery and careful to not overwhelm him with treatments. With a case like Valor’s, it will be a costly recovery with extensive medical and staff expenses, so we are hoping for some caring individuals to donate and help support his recovery.”

Special Pals, located at 3830 Greenhouse Road in the Mayde Creek area of Katy, is one of the Houston area’s largest no-kill rescues. The shelter is currently operating over capacity and has taken in over 130 animals in the last 30 days. Special Pals relies solely on community support as it receives no government funding.

Visit specialpals.org to learn more about their life saving work with animals. For more information, please contact Becky French, Executive Director 509.386.0370 or email director@specialpals.org