Viola, a senior dog, looks to the future as she leaves the Brackenridge High School parking lot.

Meet The Cannoli Fund’s 2014 Fiesta Medal Dog Model: Viola

A stray dog finds shelter under a temporary classroom at Brackenridge High School in King William.
A cautious Viola peeks out from her den under a classroom at Brackenridge High School.
Viola, a senior dog, looks to the future as she leaves the Brackenridge High School parking lot she had made her home for many weeks.
Viola leaving Brackenridge High and looking forward to a bright future.
Viola is the 2014 Fiesta San Antonio The Cannoli Fund's Medal Model Dog
Enjoying being the center of attention at the Fiesta Medal Art Unveiling Party on February 23, 2014 at La Tuna Grill.

If you ran into Viola bouncing along on a walk, her ears held high, obviously enjoying every minute, you’d never guess her history.

A senior female dog, Viola was spotted living under one of the portable classrooms at Brackenridge High School, occasionally coming out in search of food and water. She was thin, frightened, and obviously poorly nourished. She was wearing a collar with a piece of rope (most likely part of a tie out cord) dangling from it. After leaving water and food for her for several weeks and slowly gaining her trust, a volunteer leashed her up and lured her into her car with hot dogs. Viola’s next stop was a complete check up at the vet, compliments of The Cannoli Fund’s Cannolicare program. There she was found to be heartworm positive, have possible mammary tumors and bad teeth—in other words, in very bad shape.

At Viola’s age, the vet didn’t think she would survive heartworm treatment. She moved into a home with four other rescue dogs, who, for the most part, welcomed her. The couple caring for her regarded it as hospice care, and set out to give Viola the best and most comfortable life possible. They suspect she had never been inside a house before and had spent most of her life tied outside, but she made herself at home quite easily!

The good life agrees with Viola. Her bad teeth were removed and that’s when she really came to life. She was soon so healthy that she went into heat! (The vet had thought that she had been spayed because of a scar on her belly! Soon, she was.)

Viola takes two walks a day with her humans and the rest of the pack, including, on occasion, a cat! She is proud to represent The Cannoli Fund and the “Spay/Neuter Pets” motto. You can purchase her medal in our Fiesta Medal Shop.