When Sheridan and her husband decided to welcome Lily the pitbull into their home, they were already four rescue dogs deep on top of caring for regular foster puppies. It was a lot to take on, but how could they say no?
In an interview with GeoBeats Animals, Sheridan explained that after Lily was found on the streets, she was having a hard time finding a foster family.
The poor pup had clearly been through a lot and was severely underweight. With no other prospects for foster families, Sheridan offered to take Lily home as a temporary foster until a permanent placement could be made.
In an Instagram post, Sheridan introduced Lily to her audience and explained that she was used as a breeding dog and “has clearly had many litters, while being about 20 lbs underweight.” She as also suffering from large tumors, anemia, and “teeth that are ground down to nothing.”
Despite her tough situation, Sheridan said that Lily is “the absolute sweetest & wants nothing but to love & be loved.”
Unfortunately, Lily’s tumors turned out to be cancerous. In a follow-up post, Sheridan explained that Lily was found to have a “very aggressive type of cancer” and she likely had less than six months to live.
Sheridan said on Instagram, “When we first committed to being Lily’s foster family, we had no idea she’d surprise us with a terminal diagnosis & become a permanent member to our family… And even though we wish she got to stay under different circumstances, we couldn’t be happier to have her in our lives.”
Though an unexpected addition to the family, Lily ended up being a great addition.
In an interview with GeoBeats Animals, Sheridan said, “Lily just is like a natural mama to every (foster) puppy we bring home.”
Lily wasn’t expected to survive to see the springtime, but she’s still living out her golden years in peace and comfort – and making a positive impact on those around her while she’s at it.
Sheridan told GeoBeats Animals that Lily loves snuggling with the foster puppies and “mothering” them. Even though she’s terminally ill, she looks after everyone around her.
Lily spent 6 years of her life being neglected and used, but she somehow reminded such a sweet, caring, and loving dog.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
