North Country Animal League

While out walking on Sunday at the end of a country road, a couple came upon what they feared was a dead animal laying in a ditch. When they got closer they found an extremely emaciated dog.  Miraculously, he was still breathing. Severely malnourished and dehydrated, this poor dog barely had the strength to stand. The couple scooped him up and brought him to North Country Animal League, where he was provided with immediate assistance. 

We have named this sweet boy Trooper in honor of his resilience in the face of abuse and abandonment. We have learned that Trooper spent his life in a dirty kennel in his own feces without access to the exercise, food, and water he needed. This is evidenced by his body and coat condition, as well as by first hand accounts from neighbors. On the first warm day of spring, Trooper found himself finally free, but cast out like a piece of garbage.

As a survivor of severe neglect, Trooper will need specialized medical and behavioral resources to ensure he has the most successful recovery journey. With a dog as emaciated as he is, it will take several months and a special diet plan for him to safely gain weight and for his system to not be overwhelmed. He is deeply craving loving human contact and access to food, water and exercise that he has been so deprived of. Trooper has been safe in our care since Sunday, receiving medical attention, nourishment, and TLC. Despite his history, Trooper is still very young (estimated to be one-year-old) and has every chance to bounce back given enough attention.

Can we count on you to help us show Trooper there is kindness and safety for him in the world by making a gift toward his care? His healing, like all of our animals, relies on the generosity of our community. Thank you for believing that every animal deserves compassionate care and for taking action today. Any donations that exceed the resources needed for Trooper’s care will go directly into the NCAL Medical Fund . We rely on this fund to help hundreds of homeless animals every year who, like Trooper, need medical attention that surpasses our budget for routine-care. The NCAL Medical Fund  is a restricted fund where 100% of your donation goes directly towards the animals' care with no overhead costs. This fund has been depleted during the pandemic, especially because we have seen a sharp rise in animals arriving at our doors with special needs over the past two years.

Thank you for being a hero for Trooper and other homeless animals in need!


** If you witness animal abuse or neglect in Vermont, please visit our Cruelty Prevention  page for resources. If you are outside of Vermont, please visit your town or city's website for information or contact local law enforcement for help. In an emergency situation where an animal is in immediate danger, call the police. 

**If you or someone in your family is struggling to care for a pet, please reach out for help as soon as possible. We have a pet food assistance program  for families in need in Lamoille County, VT. For information about surrendering a pet, please visit our Surrendering a Pet  page. 

More information about North Country Animal League:  North Country Animal League (NCAL) is a nonprofit animal welfare organization located in Morrisville, VT. Since 1994 NCAL has served thousands of pets and people, guided by our mission to promote compassionate and responsible relationships between humans and animals. We do this through sheltering and care of homeless pets, pet adoptions, humane education and outreach, spay/neuter programs, and support of cruelty prevention.