BEDFORD, NH – Late last month, the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire (ARLNH) took in a group of 14 dogs and 24 cats from a partner shelter in South Carolina. Upon arrival, it was discovered that one of the dogs, Tara, had an abnormality. The exact nature of the anomaly was not entirely clear until Dr. Stephanie Magnarelli, ARLNH’s Chief Medical Officer, examined Tara and revealed her condition.
“Tara is a hermaphrodite, Dr. Magnarelli said, meaning she has both male and female anatomy.” This condition is extremely rare in dogs, and this was the first time Dr. Magnarelli had seen one in person. “I could tell after examination that she had both male and female external anatomy, but I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to find inside. Although she couldn’t fall pregnant with her condition, we still need to modify her to avoid further medical issues later in life,” Dr. Magnarelli explained.
Tara underwent a complicated but successful operation last week. “It’s hard to prepare for surgery like this when you don’t know what you’re going to find,” Dr. Magnarelli said. Tara is now recovering from her surgery and preparing to be adopted soon.
If you would like to donate to help Tara and the 85 additional residents currently at the ARLNH, please donate at https://www.rescueleague.org/.
If you are interested in adopting Tara or one of our many other dogs looking for homes, please visit https://www.rescueleague.org/adopt for more adoption information.