Athena is a 1-year-old Bully Mix in Oakland, NJ, who needs $2,000 for Emergency Surgery - Fractured Skull, Jaw, and Foreign Body.

Athena’s body is riddled with abuse, but she is fighting.

Rescuers rushed Athena to the hospital after she was discovered on an abandoned property, unable to walk and shaking with horrific wounds on her skull and jaw. The wound appeared almost as multiple holes on the top of her head and under her neck.

We have seen a lot of horrifying cases in our rescue work at Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, but Athena’s condition and wounds have taken our breath away and shattered our hearts. She has been fighting for her life for longer than we could have imagined.

Xrays of her abdomen, head and chest came with more overwhelming news. Athena has both a skull and a jaw fracture that may require future surgery. But then the worst news came from Athena’s abdominal x-ray, she has an obstruction in her small bowel and stomach and needs emergency surgery.

Surgery is extremely risky for her severely underweight frame, but she can’t improve or survive without it. The foreign body appears to be chronic and there is a risk that her intestines will perforate or become necrotic if too much time passes.

When removing the foreign body, doctors will do a CT of her open jaw fracture to determine if she needs a plate or her jaw wired. All attempts will be made to do the procedures while she is under anesthesia, if she remains stable.

Athena remains in critical condition until - dangerously dehydrated, and unable to eat on her own as they plan the best course of action for her surgery.

Please consider a donation towards Athena’s medical care. The only way to right such a horrendous wrong is by joining our voices of support together, as we rescue her and spread the word that this type of abuse and neglect will not be tolerated. We have to keep fighting!