Last fall I fell in love with a wonderful Pit mix at the animal shelter where I volunteer. Like humans, dogs can be born with birth defects, and this sweet-natured dog had a congenital club foot which made it extremely difficult for her to walk. I am delighted to report that Miss Mabel (formerly Diamond) is now getting around great after reconstructive surgery funded through Friends of Oakland Animal Services. Even better, she has been adopted and is thriving in a loving home! Here is an excerpt from Oakland Animal Services' original story about this super special girl: Diamond won us over from the first moment she arrived at the shelter. She limped in and gave us her undivided attention with her warm brown eyes. Diamond has a club foot that makes it very difficult for her to walk.She quickly won a spot in the Director’s office and became an official dog tester – despite her disability, she tried to play with all of them. When a screaming, 4 week old Chihuahua/terrier puppy came in we decided to see if Diamond was up for the challenge of caring for this puppy and was she ever! She cuddled the pup and allowed it to take her toys, jump on her and never lost patience even when she eventually decided to set a few limits. When “her” puppy went out to foster, Diamond went into a deep depression and stopped eating and would barely lift her head when someone would walk by. At first we thought she was sick and she was, sick at heart, so we gave her a new Chihuahua puppy and watched her light up.
Diamond’s disability never stopped her and she even runs and jumps but she also tires quickly. We decided to ask the specialists at VSA to take a look at her x-rays to determine if there was a surgery that would let our very special girl lead a better quality of life. They examined her and proposed a reconstructive surgery that will realign the bones in her left front leg into a normal position. They were won over by her as well and gave us a great rate for this complex surgery. The nonprofit that helps OAS – Friends of Oakland Animal Services – agreed to finance her surgery and so Diamond will go next week for her operation. After her surgery, a partner organization “Our Pack” will take her into a foster home for her 8 weeks of recovery.
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