Mossy’s Odyssey: Adopt the dog who refuses to die at MPAC

MARSHALL, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) — In an animal shelter, there are always going to be sad stories. Mossy has one of the most heartbreaking.

When Mossy first arrived at the Marshall Pet Adoption Center (MPAC), he was littered with shotgun pellets. The staff at the time named him Mossberg after the shotgun as a bit of dark irony. The current staff shortened his name to Mossy.

Mossy was adopted after six months, but his story does not end there.

Mossberg’s adopters lost him. He was homeless for three weeks until a couple found him and took him to their home until morning, when they could try to find his home.

Unfortunately, while a gaunt, emaciated Mossy was eating, their dog approached him, and a fight ensued. While trying to break up the fight, a person was bitten.

Not knowing what to do, the couple took Mossy to the emergency vet to be euthanized.

Fortunately, Mossy had a microchip still registered to the Marshall Pet Adoption Center, and the call went to one of the dedicated staff members, Sklar Clark.

A check on her phone did not bring up information on the dog; previous staff were not always diligent in registering the microchips, so she asked for a picture.

She immediately recognized Mossy from her time working at MPAC as a volunteer two years prior and went into action to save him.

The next day, the couple took Mossy back to the MPAC and praised him for being such a sweet dog. They simply did not know how to handle the situation.

The staff at MPAC contacted the previous adopters, who said they would be glad to have Mossy back. He had never been aggressive before, and everyone involved believed the incident was a one-time occurrence.

When an animal behind on its rabies shots is accused of biting a person, it has to be quarantined for 10 days. The previous owners agreed to take him back and quarantine him, only to back out of doing the quarantine and opting for euthanasia.

Because of the connection she felt with Mossy, and because the bite occurred in Gregg County, Skylar convinced them to let Mossy quarantine at Animal Health & Hospital in Longview.

After his quarantine, Mossy returned to MPAC, where, amazingly, things got worse.

During one of her weekend shifts, Skylar found Mossy’s blood covering his kennel.

He was put in isolation, where things continued to get worse.

Parvo and fecal tests both came back negative. At a loss for an answer, the staff transported Mossy to an emergency vet.

During his three-week odyssey, Mossy contracted the babesia virus, an extremely rare tick-borne virus where parasites invade red blood cells and cause anemia.

If that was not bad enough, he also contracted Lyme disease. All of these mishaps led to euthanasia returning as an option.

Fortunately for Mossy, the staff was unwilling to give up on him. He had fought through so much; they refused to stop fighting for him.

While they could not find an outright cure for babesia, MPAC Manager Justin Serna contacted one of the lead veterinarians in the country, a babesia specialist, and ordered a new, promising treatment.

The medication required a rigid administration schedule. Staff had to take turns visiting the clinic during off-hours to ensure Mossy received every dose on time.

At last check, there was only one parasite remaining in his blood. He is effectively cured and undergoing treatment for his Lyme disease.

Through all of this, Mossy has remained as sweet and loving as any dog you will ever meet. The person who adopts him is not just getting a dog. They are getting the most loyal, resilient friend they could ever ask for.

A dog who may have as many lives as pellets in a shotgun shell.

Mossy is waiting for you at the Marshall Pet Adoption Center at 2502 E. Travis Street in Marshall, Texas. You can reach them by phone at (903) 935-4530. To volunteer, visit the MPAC Volunteer site for more information.