Chester needs you: Puppy nursed back to health available for adoption

When a mixed breed, 5-month-old puppy named Chester was spotted in a cage at Bedford County Animal Control, he looked like he was dying. Mange had overtaken his body, leaving only spots of fur and visibly raw skin. In this condition, he was unadoptable and would most likely be euthanized. But Kimberly Warren, a board member and volunteer with the Shelbyville Bedford County Humane Association, saw the potential in this little puppy and decided to rescue Chester and foster him back to good health.

"Treating mange these days is not like treating it in the old days," she said. "There are no baths or dips to give the dog. Instead, you treat the dog with a series of topical solution applications over several weeks. You put the applications on one spot on the dog's skin and it soaks into the bloodstream and kills the mange mites. Eventually over a few weeks and months, the dog's fur returns."

Five months later, the proof is in the before and after photos. Chester has fully recovered and now has a shiny, beautiful black coat. The 10-month-old puppy is "loaded with personality," said Warren, "and is ready for a new home."

Last week, Chester was selected to ride PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin', a transport program that moves adoptable dogs from Bedford County animal shelters to the Wisconsin Humane Society, where the dogs are guaranteed a new home. Chester may be boarded onto the Rescue Waggin' vehicle Thursday. But everyone at the Shelbyville Bedford County Humane Association and Bedford County Animal Control, who work together on this program, is hoping someone locally will want to adopt Chester today.

"It would be great if we could find Chester a home here locally before the Rescue Waggin' transport," Warren said. "We think he's a special dog that deserves a second chance in our own community. Nothing would make us happier than to see him have a home for the holidays."

To adopt Chester, call the Shelbyville Bedford County Humane Association at 684-KIND (5463) or email sbcha@hotmail.com.