I was pleasantly surprised to find your web site. I too, have a 3-legger. I'll tell you Skippy's story: I am a volunteer at the Elkhart County Humane Society in Bristol, Indiana. About 3 years ago, I was at the shelter helping with a dog obedience class in our barn, when a young woman appeared with a beautiful little puppy with an injured leg. It was the left rear leg...

It was just dragging and there was an open wound on her hock. She had rescued (basically stolen) the pupply from a neighbor whose dog had puppies, and she said the puppies were being abused. She noticed this little one, not using her leg and she took the next opportunity when he was gone and brought the pupply to our shelter to see if something could be done about her leg.

The director said that if she left the pup there, they would have to euthanize her because as much as she would like to help, the shelter just didn't have the resources to diagnose and take care of it's special needs.

She suggested that maybe one of our "guild members" (we do fund raisers, adopt-a-pets, etc. to help raise money for the shelter and help the animals in any way we can) might be willing to foster it and take it to the vet for a diagnosis.

My friend Jill said she would (I resisted, because I currently had two other dogs at home I adopted from the shelter and I was afraid I'd fall for this one).

Jill took this sweet puppy home and set up an appointment for a vet to see her. She works full time and asked if I would mind taking the puppy to the vet. I didn't mind at all. They took an x-ray and said the achilles tendon had been ruptured and they couldn't even find it on the x-ray in hopes of reattaching it.

They said it looked like somone had tied something on her leg and yanked on it really hard.

I felt so sad that this injury may have been intentionally caused by a "human".

They said amputation was the only solution and that she should do fine with 3 legs. Well, I fell in love that day and asked Jill if I could take the puppy home and make a plea to my husband to have the surgery done (since I didn't have a job). My husband thought she was very cute and agreed.

So, in June of 2000, her leg was amputated.

She did incredibly well... probably because she wasn't using the leg anyway. She was only 4 months old when her leg was taken off, and now she's just turning 3. She is a beautiful and loving member of our family.

I can't imagine life without her! So, that is "Skippy's Story". Please feel free to e-mail me.

Sincerely,

Terri Hummel

Hello,
My name is Chance and I was rescued from a Puppy Mill. I was told my Mommy bit my foot off accidentally, when she was biting off my umbilical cord. Now I have a stub for a foot, but it doesn't bother me. I hop around and chase after my two K-9 sisters; you'd never guess I only had 3 feet.

-Chance Swift