(this was sent to me in an email. Contact information below)
Last Thursday on the way to work I found a dog in the median of Stassney Lane that had been hit by a vehicle overnight and left to die.
As I passed, I thought he was dead, but then saw him raise his head in my rear view mirror. I had no choice but to turn my car around and help.I pulled over, got out and approached him-- he was conscious & alive,but barely. As luck would have it a vet pulled up right after me andweexamined him. He couldn't stand or walk, so we picked him up, put him inmy car and the vet called an animal hospital on the south side oftown,Feathers and Fur. I drove him there and was certain they would have toput him out of his misery and euthanize due to his injuries.
This dog had most likely been dumped and walking around starving for weeks, ashewas emaciated, dehydrated and full of stickers, fleas and bug bites. I called back later that morning and the vet said he wascritical, but stable. They had decided to nickname him "Auto", as in automoblie hit and run victim....
His injuries included a dislocatedpelvis, major head swelling, some scrapes, bruises and scratches, andadislocated right front leg that now has some neurological damage. Had noone stopped by he most likely would have just laid there and died thatday, alone. We live in a cynical world, and the only way I know tocombat that is to help one another, furry or 2-legged. The vetbasically did everything he could to help this poor guy and keep him comfortable enough to stay alive, and recuperate. By Friday, the now-deemed Auto was worlds better from the prior48 hours or so. He was actually sitting up, although still not walking,and asking for food and water. And trying to give kisses to the vet techs.
But they are not able to keep him long term, nor is it good forhis recuperation and asked us to help find him either a permanent or foster home.
Anna and I made the decision to at least go ahead and take himhome for now, foster through part of his recuperation while trying tofind him a permanent home, and picked him up this morning. We've decidedto name him "Elliot" after the kid and his friend E.T. in the movie ofthe same name who we all remember miraculously came back from thedead.Elliot is a ~3-year-old Shepherd mix, not currently neutered, heartworm negative (miraculously) white with brown spots and thesweetest face. Right now he is walking some, but still in pain. He'sreally smart, wants so badly to play (but can't), very gentle and loving and seems to be okay with our other dogs, as long as they don't come too close. Not too bad for an injured animal. If the nerve damage in his right front arm doesn't come back in the next couple of days, it is most likely beyond repair and will have to be amputated. We will take him in on Tuesday and the vet will make that determination. At that time we'llgo ahead and have him neutered.
Dr. Blatt at Feathers and Fur has been an amazing person with this situation-- he has said "...let's not worry about the bills, but whatever you can give will really help."However, we cannot keep him long-term with a house full ofotheranimals, and have another personal situation in which we cannot addanymore furry kids to our home.So now I need to rally the troops. This message is a plea forhelp for Elliot. If you know of anyone who would be interested in adopting Elliot, please give them my information below.
Any donationstowards his cause would also be so helpful and deeply appreciated.Peace & love,Benae & Anna ColbertHome: 512.280.6921 Mobile: 512.461.6336
abc2002@flash.netFeather & Fur Animal Hospital9125 Manchaca Rd.Austin 78748512.291.4000Dr. BlattDr. Newman
