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New Penn Vet Program Provides Life-Saving Care For Shelter Dogs

By John McDevitt

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The city's most vulnerable dogs are getting the medical help they need thanks to Penn Vet's Shelter Dog Specialty Medical Treatment Project. The new program is saving lives.

Penn vet provides life-saving care for shelter dogs at risk for euthanasia. The animals are treated, put into foster care and await adoption.

Dr. Brittany Watson, Director of Shelter Animal Medicine and Community Engagement. She says first set of cases happen over the past month, four pit bull puppies with a vaccine reaction are in the program.

"They were brought over to Penn they got put through emergency services they were given supportive care and then they were able to recover from the process of the vaccine reaction. One of the nurses in the hospital actually adopted one of those puppies," said Dr. Watson.

Dr. Watson says area shelters identify potential candidates and she selects the animals that go through the program.

Penn Vet's Shelter Dog Specialty Medical Treatment Project was made possible by private funding from The Richard Lichter Charity for Dogs.

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