We could not believe our eyes. She looked like a ghost of a dog, a beautiful Husky with eyes as blue as the heavens but horribly starved just a skeleton covered with sparse, dry hair. We reached to comfort this poor, emaciated dog, and she gave us the sweetest kisses.

Francis ate ravenously and drank bowls full of water. A trip to the animal hospital confirmed that she had no parasites or injuries but as an adult Siberian Husky, she weighed only twenty-one pounds. We assumed that she had been starved almost to death.

For several days Francis continued to eat and grow stronger, but then she stopped. Nothing would tempt her to take another bite. She was taken back to the hospital and an extensive blood test showed that a B.U.N. reading of her kidneys which should have been between 11 and 23 was 289. The veterinarian said that if she were a human she would be a candidate for a transplant. There was not much hope. Francis had been severely deprived of water, and her dehydration was so extreme that her kidneys were terribly damaged.

Francis was placed in intensive care for a week and given bag after bag of intravenous fluid. Finally, she showed slight improvement, and we were able to bring her back to the Shelter. We were very afraid that it was only to watch her die, but to our surprise she ate four cans of her special food the first day. She could not gobble it fast enough.

Francis now weighs 46 pounds and her B.U.N. reading is down to twenty-nine. But just one bite of someone else's food sets her system off balance. She leads a very protected life, and she is wildly happy. She is incredibly beautiful and very strong. Her hair is thick, soft charcoal and white. Her energy and zest for life are boundless, and she is like an adult puppy discovering everything for the first time.

We do not know how Francis got here. It is difficult to believe that she had the strength to walk into this secluded acreage from a surrounding road. Had someone driven her in our dogs would have sounded a cacophony of warning. Hence her name is Francis for St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. He knew the pitiful suffering of Francis and he led her to us.

Francis lived for 8 years as a Sanctuary Sweetheart. She was our precious angel.