To the editor:

On Monday, May 25, Memorial Day, my mother went to visit her parents’/husband’s grave in Paul Smiths. While there, her beloved Chiweenie, Casper, was attacked by a German shepherd and severely injured.

At the nearest trooper barracks, the search was on to find a veterinarian who would help my mother and her precious Casper. After many phone calls and a timely search, Northway Animal Emergency Clinic (in Gansevoort) was found, and Mom was on her way. They had to drive over 115 miles and over two hours, with Casper screaming the whole way. You see, Casper had his belly torn open with some insides on the outside and almost complete removal of his male part. Not one veterinarian closer was open or on call to help; it was a holiday. Can any of you imagine what that would be like?

Casper’s injuries were too severe, and we lost that precious, joyous light from our lives. One of the hardest things to bear was the amount of suffering he had to endure before he could get help. The dedicated people at Northway Animal Emergency Clinic understand that theirs is a profession that can’t dictate certain hours because lives could always be at stake. It took approximately an hour for the on-call vet to help my mother and her beloved Casper. They were professional, compassionate, and they were THERE! We will always be grateful that they chose to help and end his suffering.

Thank you,

Heidi A. Benway

Crown Point