Editor, the News-Herald:

Recently, while home alone, I faced the most terrifying and emotionally draining canine medical emergency that I have ever experienced.

When my highly active puppy’s spay incision burst open, literally spilling her organs and intestines while gushing blood, I could think only to wrap her in a blanket, do my best to immobilize her, and call Jamie Sears, wife of veterinarian, Dr. Jeffrey Jay Sears, of Academy Animal Care.

In tearful exasperation, while simultaneously attempting to hold my beloved 40-pound puppy in a blanket to comfort her and prevent severe damage as she wriggled, yelped in pain and tried to run around the room, I explained the situation to Mrs. Sears. I could not transport my puppy by myself to Dr. Sears for emergency surgery due to the life-threatening nature of the medical emergency.

Thank God for Jamie Sears! Although not required of their jobs, Mrs. Sears asked two assistants, Missy Charlton and Crystal Ellis, if they would drive to my home to assist in stabilizing and transporting my puppy. Without hesitation, they rushed out the door to do so.

I am convinced that the quick thinking of Jamie Sears and Ms. Charlton’s supersonic arrival time of approximately five minutes made the difference in providing such compassionate and quick thinking people to assist me in such an emergency. I sincerely appreciate and will never forget their acts of kindness and exemplary efforts.

Significantly, this is not the first time that Dr. Sears and the Academy Animal Care team have performed canine miracles. When my husband and I adopted three dogs from the Suffolk Animal Shelter last year, the eight-week-old Labrador/chow mix puppy has parvovirus and considered too young and too tiny to survive the intensive treatment, hourly shots and isolation needed. With aching hearts, we knew we had to try everything possible to save him, despite the odds.

When &uot;Bosco&uot; recovered, his suppressed immune system could not fend off demodectic mange, which covered 90 percent of his body. Again, intensive treatment, lots of TLC and prayers resulted in a healthy, beautiful, soon to be year-old, 60-pound puppy.

When the golden retriever/collie mix puppy unexpectedly developed lameness in his hind leg, x-rays showed a genetic malformation of his knee and hip, which required surgery. Today, &uot;Chamois&uot; is completing physical therapy at home and walking on all fours.

The two-year-old schipperkie-/chow mix had yet another surprise. She was pregnant when we adopted her, unbeknownst to us. Soon we had a litter of puppies. Again, Academy Animal Care came to assist us by finding responsible dog owners who wanted a second dog within a living home (with fenced yards) for several of the &uot;unexpected puppies.&uot; Again, we thank Dr. Sears and Missy Charlton for their puppy placement efforts.

In a world where it seems as if headlines proclaim tragedy, sadness and negative news, we can be inspired to know that for every negative action, there are many more people performing acts of kindness and medical miracles out of love and compassion.

The marquee at Academy Animal Care encourages us to &uot;Strive to be the person your pet thinks you are.&uot; Dr. and Mrs. Sears and the Academy Animal Care team could never put a value on their kindness and compassion – it is priceless! We hope that they will accept our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude.

Melody M. Green

Suffolk