Trucker's heart attack leaves dog without a home
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A trucker's serious medical episode left his canine companion without a home until he gets better. A local kennel manager stepped in, but needs help to pay for the dog's care.
Bonnie Keyes, kennel manager at Canine Country Club in north Raleigh, is raising funds to care for 8-year-old boxer, Baby.
Keyes said Baby's owner, a truck driver named David Shrum, experienced chest pains while driving home to Texas last Thursday. He ended up at WakeMed, and Baby had nowhere to go.
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Keyes said a nurse called her to tell her about Baby's predicament.
"She reached out to me and was like, 'Hey we got this dog,'" Keyes explained. "'We need somewhere for her to go in order to start treating this patient.'"
Keyes says Shrum had a heart attack and underwent triple bypass surgery. He's still in the hospital and will likely need medical care for about a month.
"[Baby is] his everything, it's like his best friend, his companion," Keyes said. "I think he was more worried about her than he was himself going through all of this."
That's why Keyes arranged for discounted boarding services at Canine Country Club, with the blessing of owner Susan Schaler.
"I can't do it for free because I just moved here in June and I put all my funds into upgrading this space to make it perfect for the pets," Schaler said.
Keyes set up a Youcaring fund online. She says she's raising funds for Baby's care, including her boarding, spay surgery, and other vet's bills. She says the ultimate goal is to reunite Baby with her owner with both of them happy and healthy.
"I'm really excited to see when they get back together," Keyes said. "I know she's going to be super excited."
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