More than 100 "homeless" dogs in Philadelphia have been saved by the Penn Vet’s Shelter Dog Specialty Medical Treatment Project, a charity program that covers the expenses needed to treat the acute medical problems of shelter dogs in order to give them a better chance of being adopted.

The program, supported by the Richard Lichter Charity for Dogs, Penn Vet and Ryan Hospital, was launched last year and originally intended to treat only around 25 dogs a year.

Many of these shelter dogs would have been euthanized if it wasn’t for the specialty program.

“It’s an amazing thing for the clinicians to be able to do exactly what they think is best for an animal without the typical financial constraints that most shelters and owners have,” says Brittany Watson, director of shelter medicine and community engagement at Penn Vet.

She has been gratified to see how the shelters and Ryan staff alike have committed to the program.“The shelters put together a tremendous effort into getting the animals to us and helping them find homes. The hospital puts a tremendous effort into the care,” Watson says. 

As reported in the news website of Penn University.