ADOPTED!
If you look at Shelby’s smile today, you would never know everything she went through to get a second chance. The sweet 1-year-old Shepherd mix girl was brought to the San Antonio Humane Society (SAHS) on March 22 in very bad shape.
A Good Samaritan first saw her caught in a coyote trap, but she ran away before he could help. He saw her again three days later, but by this time, she had gnawed off her leg in order to free herself from the trap. Her entire body was also covered in lacerations, including a few deep cuts in her armpit and inside her ears, from a possible altercation with either another dog or coyote. Her legs were swollen and her wounds were becoming infected. She was extremely shy and nervous and any movement caused to cry out in pain.
The SAHS medical team sprang into action and performed multiple surgical procedures to ensure she could live a full life.
“We were able to treat Shelby immediately,” SAHS Chief Veterinarian Dr. Kristine Hawkins said. “The first and most dramatic was an amputation to her rear leg that had been trapped in the coyote trap. The new equipment in the Leeu Naylor Medical Building allowed us to sedate her and perform full body radiographs.”
The X-rays ruled out any other fractures, and laser therapy was used to accelerate healing and provide pain relief. After a couple of weeks of nourishment and lots of TLC, Shelby proved to be a true survivor!
“Eventually, she warmed up enough to give us a tail wag and kisses,” Dr. Hawkins added. “Just this past weekend, we convinced her to venture outside. Now, she is absolutely thriving. She loves to run around outside and play!”
This sweet girl continues to heal in our new medical building, where she is doing physical therapy exercises daily. She is on the mend and hopes to find her forever home soon.
“Shelby would love a home with a doggy playmate – someone her size or smaller who wouldn’t be rough on her. She seems to be very loving and generous with kisses and is eager to receive tons of belly rubs. She would love a family who appreciates all that she has been through,” Dr. Hawkins concluded.
