Dog's Up for Adoption News & Entertainment
Dog Found With Shattered Leg and Caked in Tar Gets Incredible Rescue
Natalie Hoage
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Meet Mikey, a 3-year-old pup rescued from a high-kill shelter in South Los Angeles, California. He arrived with a broken leg and numerous other injuries. Mikey recently received surgery to repair his broken leg and to be neutered. Once he has recovered from his ordeal, rescuers hope this resilient pooch will finally find the loving forever home he deserves.
Mikey’s Euthanasia Date Was Already Set
On March 23rd, Kelly Hammons from Lovebugs Rescue in Southern California received an email from the South L.A. Shelter requesting help for some dogs with medical needs whose euthanasia dates were already set. One of those dogs was Mikey, a 13-pound Terrier/Poodle mix who had arrived at the shelter the previous week.
Staff believed that he had been hit by a car, leaving his back left leg useless, “It was just hanging there, and he couldn’t put weight on it” Hammons said. There was blue paint matted on his head, injuries to his head and shoulder, and his fur was caked in tar. Hammons described his condition as “a stinky mess.”
Mikey had been in the shelter for an entire week without medical help or any interest from potential adopters. No x-rays had been performed to determine how severe the injury to his leg was, but he had been given medication for the pain. The shelter staff tried to remove the tar from between his toes and the little chunks stuck to his body. They suspected the blue paint on his head may have been from a paintball.
Despite all he had endured, Hammons was surprised to find Mikey was in good spirits and “super sweet and loving.”
A Foster Mom Stepped in Asking to Care for Mikey
After Hammons rescued Mikey from the kill shelter, one of Lovebugs’ fosters, Laura Engel, contacted her and asked if she could foster him. Coincidentally on that same day, Engel’s previous medical foster named Tito who had a strikingly similar leg injury had been adopted. Hammons shared, “Laura just knew there was something special about Mikey and felt compelled to foster him.”
Mikey was taken to an orthopedic surgeon for examination. X-rays revealed a femur fracture on Mikey’s left back leg. The vet described it as a straight, clean break. However, due to the amount of scar tissue that had formed around the break, and because significant time had passed since the initial injury, Mikey would require surgery. The procedure was scheduled for Wednesday, March 27th.
The Rescue is Seeking Donations for Mikey’s Care
Mikey’s surgery went smoothly, and he is now at home recovering with his foster mom. While the surgery was a success, it came at a significant cost. The initial consultation with the orthopedic surgeon was $800, and the estimated cost for the surgery itself was a whopping $6,900.
Hammons admitted, “That $7,700 bill is difficult for our entirely donation-based, volunteer-run rescue to cover. We would greatly appreciate any donations to help with Mikey’s medical expenses if anyone is willing and able to contribute.”
Despite the financial burden, Lovebugs Rescue is committed to ensuring Mikey receives the care he needs to make a full recovery. If you would like to donate towards Mikey’s surgery and rehabilitation costs, you can do so here. Mikey is described as dog and cat-friendly and a pup who loves everyone he meets. If you’d like more information about Mikey or to find out how to adopt him, visit Lovebugs Rescue or contact Kelly Hammons via email at [email protected].
