Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (Mar. 30, 2023) – Since she arrived from Iran at Helen Woodward Animal Center in mid-March, an abused and disfigured orphan pup has been receiving the love and attention she has always deserved. Thanks to the media sharing her story, Omid (meaning “Hope” in Farsi) has begun to receive well-wishes and inquiries about her availability for adoption. Most surprisingly, some extraordinary news has come from a local specialty eye veterinarian who believes he can provide true relief to Omid by creating a new eyelid to replace the one she lost. Surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday, April 4th. Those who would like to help can log onto: www.animalcenter.org/hopeforomid.
Just over a week ago, Helen Woodward Animal Center released the story of Omid, a special dog with a year-long story that wound through cruelty in the streets of Iran, into brave hands of kindness, and onto a plane that took her far across the world to a chance at true happiness. The Center became aware of the fourteen-month female shepherd blend via an email from a San Diego woman named Moloud Rabieyousefi who had spent months financially assisting a heroic Iranian woman who took in the severely injured puppy, abused by transients who had poured acid all over her face. Because there are no laws to protect animals from acts of cruelty in Iran, the Iranian woman was desperate to get the dog to the United States and Rabieyousefi spent approximately eight months working with the CDC to do just that.
Omid’s arrival at Helen Woodward Animal Center was filled with joy but the Center’s adoption staff knew there was still a road ahead of her. Despite months of medical treatments, the young dog is still recovering from the trauma caused to her face and, lacking an eyelid, is unable to close her left eye, causing discomfort and a chance for infection.
Fortunately, Omid had come to the perfect place. Helen Woodward Animal Center Registered Veterinary Tech Lead Brittanie DeWitt had previously worked with eye specialist Dr. Strubbe at VCA Eye Clinic for Animals and felt certain he could help. After conferring with Helen Woodward’s Chief Veterinarian Dr. Gaeto, she reached out to the eye doctor. Despite a busy schedule, Dr. Strubbe squeezed Omid in the very next day. Following a thorough exam, he came up with a game plan. Next Tuesday, April 4th, Dr. Strubbe will conduct a form of plastic surgery to move some of the tissue from the upper eyelid down – an incision to extend the reach of the tissue to create an eyelid. The surgery will be complicated and detailed; thus, even at a discount the clinic offers, the cost will be over $5,000. However, Helen Woodward Animal Center never says no when help can be found.
“We’re incredibly excited for Omid,” stated Helen Woodward Adoption Services Director Kendall Schulz. “Every time an orphan animal comes through our doors, they become our family. The adoption team, medical staff, and even administrative staff get to know these animals like they’re our own. When one of them has been through something this traumatic, we all rally around them to help get them that perfect happy ending. We all knew that we would find Omid the perfect family but helping her get a new eyelid was beyond anything we had dreamed.”
Helen Woodward Animal Center will provide a media update on Omid’s surgery next Tuesday, April 4th. In the meantime, those who would like to assist with the costs of her surgery and her recovery care can log onto: www.animalcenter.org/hopeforomid.
Recovery time for Omid will be approximately two weeks for the surgical procedure and another four before the doctor will have full confirmation on the success of the surgery. Helen Woodward Animal Center is hopeful that the search for Omid’s forever family will begin shortly after this recovery period. For adoption applications, information on Helen Woodward Animal Center or to donate, go online at www.animalcenter.org, call (858) 756-4117 x 313 or stop by at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe.
(Omid from left to right – as a puppy in Iran, arriving at Helen Woodward Animal Center one year later, glamour shots in California.)
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