After being turned away by two clinics in the middle of a life-threatening emergency, Blue and Chili Dog were running out of time and options.

The two dogs had gotten loose and found themselves in a dangerous situation in the Tennessee countryside. Both had been shot. Their family rushed them to two different animal hospitals, but neither were equipped to handle walk-in emergencies. Then they found Taylor Animal Hospital.

The team, led by Dr. Molly Shaw, didn't hesitate. After admitting both dogs, it was clear that surgery was needed to locate and remove the bullets. They immediately prepped the dogs for the operating room while a team member stayed with the family so they wouldn't have to wait alone.

While in surgery, the team discovered the full extent of the damage: Blue had a bullet lodged dangerously close to his carotid artery and jugular vein, requiring delicate removal, and another beneath the skin near his shoulder. Chili Dog suffered more extensive trauma, with significant muscle damage to her back leg.

Both surgeries were a success, and the dogs spent four days at Taylor Animal Hospital being monitored for infection and pain, with Chili Dog watched closely to see whether she would regain the ability to bear weight on her injured leg.

“Unfortunately, we encounter cases like this more often than we would like,” said Hospital Manager Sarah Kelsey Baker. “But I’m so grateful to be part of a team that never hesitates when a life is on the line."

Blue was discharged and is well on the road to recovery. Chili Dog's prognosis remains more guarded with muscle damage to her hindlimb that may require additional surgery or possibly an amputation, depending on how she progresses. But she made it home. They both did.

For Veterinary Assistant Erica Crouch, the weight of that outcome isn't lost.

"I can't even imagine how terrible this situation could have been if they hadn't found us," she said. "This is one story out of dozens our team could share. That's who we are to our community. The team that is always here, rain, snow, ice, tornado, holiday, or weekend. To be a part of that kind of team, that kind of mission, is everything."

It's a standard Dr. Shaw holds close, too.

"We believe in treating pets in our community like family,” she said. “At the end of the day, our goal is to leave things better than we found them."