Hero dog welcomed home after protecting family from intruders

A dog who was shot twice by intruders during a Los Angeles break in is finally back home with her family after undergoing charity-funded surgery.

Charlie and her two siblings encountered the burglars at their South California home, and bravely protected their owners by chasing them down the street.

However, one of the burglars shot towards the home as they escaped, hitting Charlie twice in her front and back right legs.

After police arrived at the scene, Charlie was taken by Animal Control to the North Central Shelter as her owners were not able to afford emergency veterinary care on their own. Here, Charlie was cared for by a technician, who reached out to the North Central Shelter Intervention Program, which helps owners finds resources for pets. 

After Charlie was accepted by the program, a crowd funding page was set up to help find the money for the medical attention she needed. More than $8,000 dollars was raised, double the goal specified on the site. 

With the money raised, Charlie underwent surgery to have one of her legs amputated and is now safety back with her owner, who is incredibly grateful to the shelter and to Charlie, who she said saved the lives of her children.

If you’d like to donate to Charlie’s fund, please visit her crowd funding page or email ncintervention@gmail.com.

 

Charity rescues German Shepherd with ‘wonky’ legs

Pat Clark of charity ‘Mutts in Distress’ raised funds to bring Sandy the German Shepherd, who lived with extremely deformed legs at a shelter in Greece, over to the UK for treatment.

Pat and surgeon Chaim Pilosof, of Companion Care Vets, heard about Sandy through contacts at the animal shelter in Corfu where the 10-month-old dog had been left.

After Mr Pilosof agreed to perform surgery for free, Pat flew Sandy over to the UK, where Chaim fitted specially-made plates into the dog’s legs to straighten them.

Mrs Clark said: “I saw a picture of Sandy and knew we had to bring him here. He was so bow-legged and wonky he was almost walking on his chest.”

Mr Pilosof successfully performed the operations, which were not available in Corfu, but now Sandy faces three months of physiotherapy and recovery before he can be rehomed with Mrs Clark.

Speaking after the first operation, Mr Pilosof said: “The deformity was probably caused by poor nutrition, perhaps while he was in the womb… In terms of walking he should be back to normal, and it will be almost unnoticeable.”