Chicago Heights Humane Society 'Slammed' By Medical Emergencies

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, IL — A puppy with a broken leg. A cat with bone sticking out of its leg. Another puppy, this one hit by a car — bruised, but this time nothing broken. These are among the dozen or son high-needs animals the South Suburban Humane Society has treated in the past month, an unusually high number in a short amount of time, officials said.

"There are so many needs in a short amount of time," said CEO Emily Klehm. "We were sort of slammed recently."

The cases are in addition to Clarabelle, the 10-month-old Catahoula Leopard pup who was mauled Sunday night by other dogs after she was left for dead by someone who slashed her throat.

The x-rays, surgeries and bandages add up, and add up quickly, Klehm said, particularly in emergency situations, such as the one the Chicago Heights-based shelter — which accepts animals from eight municipalities — is facing. They're asking for the public's help to fund medical care and foster injured animals.

"We’re only at the beginning of warm weather, and we're a little scared of what summer might bring," she said. "Fostering is the biggest way we can save as many as possible that will be coming in the summer months."

Animals rehabilitate better in situations where they can run, move freely and be nurtured and loved, shelter manager Megan Schoenbeck explained.

Clarabelle's case garnered an outpouring of support for the shelter — more than $16,000 had been raised by Thursday afternoon — and Klehm and her staff are hoping other pets' stories will move people just as much as Clarabelle's did.

There's Asparagus, the cat, found by someone in Matteson Monday who discovered she had protruding leg bone. Shelter officials rushed her to the vet.

There's Kanga, a stray puppy from Chicago Heights with a broken leg. He is only two or three months old.

And there's Roosevelt, the puppy hit by a car, that was rushed to another shelter by the owner. When that shelter wouldn't accept him without a monetary donation, the Humane Society took him in.

"Clarabelle surprised us with the public's generosity," Klehm said. "We couldn't do this without the public's help."

An update on Clarabelle: Shelter staff report she is doing well and asking for kisses. They believe she'll be ready for further surgery soon.

To donate or to apply to foster, visit the South Suburban Humane Society's Facebook page or website.