Patches survives ... again
Sep. 3—A black-and-white puppy that tugged on heartstrings around the region last month when he emerged from the ashes of the devastating McKinney Fire has survived a second brush with death.
Patches, an Australian shepherd/pit bull mix, made headlines in early August when the soot-covered dog was found amidst the devastation of the fire along the Klamath River off Highway 96.
His owner, James "Mac" Benton, thought all of his dogs but one had perished in the blaze that destroyed everything he owned.
Benton managed to scoop up one dog, a French bulldog named PeeWee, as he evacuated from the oncoming blaze. But his other pets — a German shepherd named Troop, Patches' mother Sky, and two litter mates, Brutus and Tanner, perished in the flames.
The McKinney Fire in Siskiyou County burned over 60,000 acres and killed four people, including Benton's roommate John Cogan, 76, along with neighbors Kathleen Shoopman, 73, Charles Kays, 79, and Judith Kays, 82.
Patches, however, brought a measure of light to Benton's life when he turned up unexpectedly at Rescue Ranch, a canine rescue facility in Yreka, California. Photos shared on social media of the man's reunion with Patches warmed hearts around the region.
As Benton tries to rebuild his life and find a place to live, some friends offered to care for Patches. Not long after, Patches was diagnosed with parvo (canine parvovirus), an often deadly disease that required emergency veterinary care to the tune of nearly $5,000.
Touched by Patches' story of survival, Rescue Ranch officials said it was a no-brainer when a local veterinarian asked them to help the puppy once more.
Benton said he felt "an overwhelming gratitude" for help finding Patches after the fire and for help with the dog's medical care.
"PeeWee and Patches are all I have left in the world. I'm grateful to have them so we can rebuild our lives together," Benton said. "I'm grateful for everyone who has helped me and my family."
Natalie Golay, Rescue Ranch communications director, said Patches had an obvious determination to live after surviving the fire and parvo.
"It's certainly been a long road for Patches. He left us after the fire, August 1, and on August 5 he was brought into the vet and he was very sick," she said.
"Everything happened with the parvo on a Friday. They didn't have anyone who could cover the weekend, and with parvo you need constant monitoring. The vet called us and asked if Patches could be brought back to the sanctuary, so we said of course."
Golay said the Rescue Ranch Executive Director John Golay, who is her cousin, stayed with Patches round-the-clock as he fought to live.
"We had to put him in the parvo room. Parvo puppies are highly, highly contagious. We were also very guarded about saying Patches was better, because sometimes parvo puppies will seem to be getting better ... and then they don't," Golay said.
John Golay said he was happy to see Patches reclaimed, once more, by his dad.
"It was pretty heartbreaking ... parvo comes with ... at least a week's worth of suffering on top of what was already there after the fire," he said.
"He was in intensive care with the emergency vet for four days, and we did a plasma transfusion, which helped strengthen him. He just finally popped out of it and started eating again. We were relieved when he finally tested negative."
Natalie Golay said the Rescue Ranch Adoption Center, which took in over 160 dogs affected by the fire, tapped an emergency fund — called Kitu's Fund — to cover treatment for Patches.
"It's for high-cost veterinary procedures. Owners make payments back, no interest."
The fund helps with expensive cases, she said, and when a dog's owner is homeless or facing extenuating circumstances. Rescue Ranch usually budgets about $30,000 for such emergencies. This year's tally — with a slew of broken legs and at least two "serious heart operations," has surpassed $40,000.
John Golay said Patches and Benton were due for some good luck.
"The poor thing was almost burned alive and then gets parvo," he said. "He's a really happy little guy, despite all he's been through. He just loves attention, so it was especially heartbreaking to have to put him in the isolation pen. He just didn't want to be alone.
"He was really happy to see his dad when he picked him up," Golay added. "The feelings definitely seem to be mutual. I'm sure the dog and owner have some PTSD since the fire. They'll be a good part of each other's calming and healing process."
To donate to the Kitu's Fund, see rrdog.org/donate/kitusfund/
To contribute to a gofundme campaign for Benton and Patches, see tinyurl.com/2pfnpmtv
Reach Mail Tribune reporter Buffy Pollock at 541-776-8784 or bpollock@rosebudmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.
