HRA Alliance Fall 2018

indicate to me that there may be a problem,” said
Dr. Petrovitch. “They were instrumental in ensuring
the surgery and post-op care were a success.”
This surgery was something the students had never seen
before. Most didn’t know what this disease was—it’s that
rare, said Dr. Petrovitch. It was a great opportunity for
them to get hands-on experience doing a case that is
different, taking advantage of HRA’s large and diverse
caseload, and the unique aspects of shelter medicine.
In addition, the overall impact of HRA’s partnership
with VMCVM includes a significant improvement in
healthcare delivery to HRA animals, and in the case
of Aphrodite, life-changing medical care for some
of our most vulnerable populations of animals.
During the corrective surgery, the team also discovered
and removed a nasal polyp, which had undoubtedly
been contributing to Aphrodite’s difficulty breathing.
A FIGHTER’S CHANCE
After more than 200 days in our care, 22 exams,
and two surgeries—this special kitten now
has the chance at the normal life our medical
and foster teams hoped was possible.
“She’s a fighter,” said Aphrodite’s foster parent, Lita
Valdez. “Going through each individual obstacle
with her was certainly difficult, but despite her
serious condition and multiple procedures and
surgeries, her zest for life remains contagious, with
everyone she meets falling in love with her.”
Thanks to Valdez, who has fostered more than 75 neonatal
kittens since 2015, many of them with specialized medical
needs, she is now just the middle of Aphrodite’s already
incredible story. When asked why she continues to foster
some of HRA’s most vulnerable animals, her answer was
simple: “Most of them wouldn’t have made it without me.”
And she’s right. HRA’s robust and generous network
of foster homes makes it possible for us to care for
more animals with a broad range of specific care
needs—from orphaned kittens who need roundthe-clock
feedings to cats and dogs for whom the
shelter environment is too stressful and does not
allow them to exhibit their true personalities.
HRA takes in an average of 30 animals per day. The team
works tirelessly to provide for all of the animals in our
care, but our shelter space and resources are limited.
Thanks to the critical work of fosters like Valdez, we are
able to create a virtual shelter in the community for our
most vulnerable animals. Coupled with our dedicated and
skilled medical team, animals like Aphrodite are given
the chance to thrive and live the full life they deserve.
4 ALLIANCE