This delightful girl first came to the shelter back in September 2007 for the first time, after we visited Wat Nong Ba Klang, a temple now being cared for by the Nakorn Payap International School (NIS) who developed a community project initiated and driven by the students under the banner of “Temple Aid Project”.

When we first saw her at the temple she had runny green mucus in her eyes, balding coat and very inflamed sore skin. Apart from all the ticks and fleas doing their damage, she also had mange. We brought her to the shelter where she spent a few months receiving regular food, laced with Ivomectin and a lot of tender loving care by the many visitors and volunteers.

She responded well to the medication and her coat returned and she looked quite healthy. After staying for quite a while but sadly taking up space for other needy cases, we returned her to the temple to rejoin her friends. The dogs at this temple are very fortunate in that the monks staying there, like dogs. They are very much aware of the dogs needs and feed them regularly as well as co-operate with people who are able to arrange health care for the dogs. Without the support from NIS, this would be very difficult.

But after returning to Wat Nong Ba Klang, her coat deteriorated and mange returned. Well, that’s what we thought it was. Soon her skin became a bubbling erupting mess. All over her body, blistering blobs would break out and her body once again became red raw covered with inflamed open sores.

Recently, after several ‘second opinions’ with various vets, we visited a weekly Specialist Skin Clinic at the Chiang Mai University Small Animal Teaching Hospital. The specialist diagnosed Cancer of the skin.

Her body is now riddled with erupting blisters and she is also swelling and looking fat but at least we now understand what is going on. Quite different from her former temple environment, where she would have to fight for survival and risk being attacked and injured by stronger, healthier dogs, Sheena will spend the rest of her numbered days being cared for at the Care for Dogs shelter.

There are times when humans cannot change the course of nature, despite our best efforts.