04/19/2025
💛 Meet Daisy — A Sweet, Goofy Girl With a Heart That Needs Healing 💔
When Daisy, a 6-year-old Bluetick Coonhound, arrived at our shelter with her best friend Lady, it didn’t take long for her to charm every single one of us. Daisy is goofy in the best way—she flops dramatically onto her bed, gives full-body tail wags when she sees her favorite people, and leans in gently for affection. She’s the kind of dog who brings light and laughter into the room, just by being herself.
But during her first vet visit for routine vaccines, Daisy tested positive for heartworm—a diagnosis we weren’t prepared for, and one that changed her path dramatically.
🐾 What Is Heartworm?
Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes and cause parasitic worms to grow in a dog’s heart and lungs. These worms can severely impact a dog’s health over time, and left untreated, the condition can become life-threatening.
Unfortunately, we are seeing more cases of heartworm right here in Maine, and Daisy is just one of many dogs now facing this incredibly difficult journey.
🩺 Daisy’s Road to Recovery
Daisy’s treatment plan will stretch across the next 12 months, and it won’t be easy:
She will undergo a series of strong injections to kill the heartworms slowly and safely.
She must remain on strict rest—no running, no playing, no excitement—for the duration of her recovery. Any increase in heart rate can put her at serious risk.
She’ll need consistent vet visits, medications, and monitoring as her body heals.
Through it all, Daisy deserves a soft bed, a calm environment, and a kind human to help her feel safe and loved.
That’s why we’re also looking for a foster-to-adopt home for Daisy—a peaceful place where she can recover surrounded by love, with the full support of our shelter team and medical staff.
💛 How You Can Help
We’re working to raise $10,000 to give Daisy the very best shot at recovery.
You can help by:
🩷 Donating to her care: https://animalorphanage.networkforgood.com/projects/250735-help-daisy-fight-for-her-life-and-find-a-home
🏡 Opening your home as a foster-to-adopt guardian during Daisy’s treatment.
📣 Spreading the word by sharing her story with your network.
💬 A Reminder of What’s Possible
Last year, we faced a similar moment with Chestnut, a golden retriever who also tested positive for heartworm. The community rallied together, donated, and gave him a second chance—and thanks to your kindness, Chestnut is now living happily and comfortably in his forever home.
His recovery is still ongoing, but he’s doing beautifully—proof that heartworm doesn’t have to be the end of a dog’s story. It can be the beginning of a new one.
Now Daisy needs that same chance.
She’s trusting us to guide her through this. And with your help, we will.
From all of us—and from Daisy—thank you for helping us give her the love, the care, and the future she so deeply deserves.
We are a no-kill animal orphanage admitting stray cats and dogs through police or animal control.
