On September 5th, 2011 around 8 PM, NJ Search and Rescue received a police request to search for a lost hiker in Norvin Green State Forest.  Chris Kempey, Operational K9 Handler arrived on the scene with his search and rescue dog Moosie, around 11 PM.  At approximately 12:30 AM and in torrential rain, Moosie and Chris found the lost hiker in a hypothermic state, wandering the trails of the park with no map, compass, rain jacket or flashlight.

Not more than two weeks later, Moosie was in need of having her own life saved.  After multiple examinations and much testing at Allendale Animal Hospital and Oradell Animal Hospital, she was admitted to Oradell Animal Hospital with what the doctors in both hospitals believed to be acute Lyme Disease with multiple organ involvement.

After being treated and released from Oradell Animal Hospital three days later, Moosie went back to the hospital every two to four weeks for blood and urine testing.  Chris was cautioned many times that Moosie may never live a normal life again, let alone return to search and rescue work!  This was heartbreaking to him and his family.

Six months and many examinations, tests, and much special care later, Dr. Mary Ann Crawford at Oradell Animal Hospital (internal medicine department) called to inform Chris that Moosie’s results had all come back within normal ranges and that she had completely recovered.  Not to mention that Moosie would be able to return to search and rescue work!  “I was, and still am, beyond words”, says Chris.

As written by Chris Kempey, ” I wanted to take a moment to thank you and your staff at Oradell Animal Hospital for not only saving Moosie’s life, but for providing her with exceptional treatment that allowed her to recover completely.  I am beyond grateful she is healed and can continue to make a positive contribution to this world as a search and rescue dog (and to be the most wonderful pet I have ever had).  I simply cannot thank you enough or tell you how amazed I was by Moosie’s complete recovery (which I attribute in large part to your work).  Thank you is simply an understatement.  I have made a donation to the NJ Search and Rescue K9 Team in your name”

                    Moosie on her first day back at work after six months of rest and recuperation

Oradell Animal Hospital, located in Paramus, NJ, has graciously donated lifetime veterinary care for K.D. Lang, the service dog obtained for 9 year old Danny Garofalo who has Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy and is wheelchair dependent. 

Danny received K.D. thanks to the combined efforts of the Mickey’s Kids Foundation, a charity run by Hasbrouck Heights residents Tom and Michelle Meli who raised the money for K.D. to come to New Jersey.  They work with Canine Assistants, a Georgia-based charity that breeds, trains and places service dogs across the country.

How does K.D. help Danny? On a daily basis K.D. performs tasks that range from retrieving his shoes and clothes, to opening cabinets and doors to even making his bed.

Mickey’s Kids is having a fundraiser event scheduled for March 16, 2012.  For more information and photos on Mickeys Kids Foundation, please visit their Facebook page at “Mickeys Kids Charitable Foundation”.