Spring/Summer Issue 2015

by Marcia Hill Gossard ’99, ’04 Ph.D. | Photos by Henry Moore, Jr.

Theia, an ownerless 1-year-old bully breed mix, came to the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital in March after being hit by a car, bludgeoned over the head with a hammer, and then buried in a field. She returned to Pullman weeks later to have surgery on her sinuses, which were badly damaged from the blows to her head. Because she was having difficulty breathing while she slept, the WSU surgery team, headed by Dr. Boel Fransson, recommended surgery to give her some relief. After two surgeries to remove the blockage and add a stent, Theia is doing well and is back at home with her caretaker, Sara Mellado.

Initial funds for Theia’s care came from the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine Good Samaritan Fund. Knowing that with multiple surgeries the expenses could get quite high, Mellado set up a crowd source funding site for Theia’s care. She raised more than $28,000 and has pledged that any remaining funds will be donated back to the Good Samaritan Fund.