After unimaginable suffering, Onyx is on the rebound. The one year old lab was found by Kern County Animal Control last September, tied to a wooden post with a bloody severed hind leg.
"It literally looked like it had been chopped off with garden shears," recalls Dr. Daniel Slaton, a veterinarian at Los Angeles' Westlake Village Animal Hospital. "I remember it distinctly, the night he got here. I didn't think he was going to make it. I thought he was going to pass before I could even go to surgery. He was just so dehydrated, septic, his body was in shock because of the infection on his leg. I had never seen anything like it."
In fact, Onyx had endured a horrific home-amputation at the hands of his former owners after he was purportedly hit by a car. The couple was charged with felony animal cruelty and sentenced to jail time and three years of probation.
Thankfully, Onyx's harrowing story has a very happy ending. He made such a deep impression on Dr. Slaton that the vet adopted him. With lots of TLC, Onyx has made a full recovery and he is now a happy-g0-lucky tripod. His latest hobby is surfing in the pool at the Barkley Pet Hotel & Day Spa.
"He's a whole new dog. You couldn't even imagine that this dog went through what he went through," Dr. Slaton told reporters.
Since Onyx's tale of survival and perseverance is so inspiring, he is training to be a therapy dog for children and adults with disabilities. "We thought he would be a good story for kids who have lost limbs and are handicapped. There is a brighter side and you can actually live and have a good quality of life," said the tripod's proud dad, Dr. Slaton.
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1 comment:
I enjoyed reading your blog, thanks
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