Friday, September 11, 2009

Trooper's Story

No, it wasn’t a dog’s life! Not for the 115 lb. chocolate lab pinned under the rear tire of a SUV in his owner's yard. Just days before Memorial Day, the dog was hit by a car. There he was with a fractured left forepaw when Connie Rice, an Atlanta Lab Rescue volunteer, stopped her car and tried to help hoist the vehicle off the dog. Even through all the pain, the dog never whined, whimpered, moaned or growled. His disposition remained calm throughout the ordeal. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to lift the car, Connie stood at the roadside waving down passing cars in an attempt to solicit more help. Finally, enough good samaritans stopped to help lift the vehicle while Connie pulled the dog from underneath.

As Connie rushed the dog to Cedarcrest Animal Hospital, she contacted several board members who had faced these traumas before. When Atlanta Lab Rescue learned that Paulding County’s animal control division was contacted, everyone acted quickly to retrieve the dog, now aptly renamed “Trooper” to prevent him from being euthanized. Connie returned to the owner who subsequently relinquished ownership and (surrendered) released the dog to Atlanta Lab Rescue.

After the initial vet care Trooper returned home with Connie who tried to keep the dog comfortable with limited I.V. medication. As luck would have it, a remarkable vet volunteered to perform the critical surgery, hoping to save the leg, on Memorial Day.

During this, the first of many surgeries, Trooper received a steel plate and several screws to set the leg. He was also neutered to eliminate the need for a second anesthesia for the procedure. At the same time, due to neglect, he was found to be heartworm positive. Unfortunately, five days after the surgery, the leg became infected and had to be cleaned up and re-sutured.

Meanwhile, Atlanta Lab Rescue concentrated on raising funds that would finance the surgeries to save the leg. While over a thousand dollars has been raised through the Labrador Retreiver Chat Board, ALR will continue to need financial support for Trooper’s eventual rehabilitation.

Three weeks later, a second infection ensued, and the steel plate and screws were removed and a cast was set. In an effort to keep Trooper quiet valium became a part of his daily routine.

By mid-July, although not out of the woods, Trooper improved with the addition of medicine and food supplements to help strengthen the bone. Now it was time for a hard cast – and a foster family.

As it turned out, there was such a family with three girls who fell in love with Trooper, instantly.

So during his convalescence Trooper, now weighing in at only 98.9 lbs., and after $5,000.00 in veterinary care, is being cared for and loved by the Moorse family who is ensuring that Trooper has every luxury and will no longer suffer the abuse, neglect and abandonment from which he came.

Trooper will require therapy, rehabilitation and possible surgeries at an additional estimated cost of $2,000.00. Contributions of any amount will help stabilize Trooper. It takes so little, but accomplishes so much.

If you would like to contribute to Trooper’s future, please click on the following link:
DONATE ONLINE or make a doanation through the ChipIn application at the top of the blog.

If you prefer to mail a check, please send it to:

Atlanta Lab Rescue
PO Box 250206
Atlanta, GA 30325
 

© 2009 Atlanta Lab Rescue