Community Corner
Henri, the Chihuahua, is a local media star
Lynn Donato says everywhere she takes him, people say 'that's the dog I saw in the news.'
Lynn Donato says Henri, the little Chihuahua that she adopted, is something of a local celebrity, attracting attention everywhere she goes with him in town.
"Every time I take him anywhere, people come up and say, ‘That’s Henri. That’s the dog in the newspaper’," she said.
And just as she said, Henri attracted lots of attention when Donato brought him to the District Animal Control board meeting Thursday to thank everyone for the financial donations and compassion they gave to the little dog.
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Last year, Henri was found abandoned along busy Route 63 suffering from leg problems that were so bad he faced amputation or euthanasia.
He was taken in at the District Animal Control shelter, and workers and Amity Animal Rescue Fund (AARF) volunteers passed the hat around town to raise about $1,800 for his veterinary care.
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Donato said she saw one letter from a little boy named Charlie who sent $2.
Much of the credit, Donato said, goes to local news writers who spotlighted the dog’s plight, and to Veterinarian Melvin Pond of New Haven who gave Henri expert care, charging only the amount of the donations, even though the cost was much higher.
She said she saw the pup’s story in one of the newspapers and was so touched she wound up adopting him.
At the meeting room in Woodbridge Town Hall, Henri still shows the scars and stitches on his legs from the surgery, but Donato said he is healing and the prognosis is good.
Dr. Pond told her to give him three months to heal and bring him back for a re-evaluation.
"He doesn’t seem to have any pain and seems to be doing well," she said.
Indeed, several pet lovers and DAC workers took turns petting and holding him. When Donato put him on the floor, Henri scampered around tentatively, but didn’t stray far from his caring owner.
Henri’s initial evaluation wasn’t so good. Veterinary surgeon Dr. Brian Laubstein, a DAC member, wasn’t sure that surgery on the little "special needs" dog would be successful.
Not only that, but Henri required continuing medication for other conditions. Many people inquired about adopting him until they heard about that.
But at the DAC meeting, Henri was clearly bouncing back strong. "It was just a miracle," said Donato.
