SAN DIEGO, Calif. — A dog fitted with prosthetic legs has found her forever home with none other than a family who understands the challenges of having a leg amputated.
Chloe, a 9-year-old Shih Tzu, is one of two dogs rescued by San Diego Humane Society's Law Enforcement on March 6 from a home in Mira Mesa, California.
Chloe and the other dog, Roxy, had their back paws bandaged so tightly it had cut off blood flow. The humane society said their previous owner was trying to prevent the dogs from licking and scratching. As a result, both dogs suffered severe injuries and each needed to have their back paws amputated.
Chloe had both back paws partially amputated.
After the amputation, the humane society staff trained Chloe to walk again, using a wheelchair and prosthetic devices. Chloe was fitted with orthopedic slippers for both back legs.
Enter San Diego Police Detective Chappie Hunter, who lost his leg in a crash in Alpine in 2013. After a year of recovery, he returned to work at the department with a prosthetic leg.
Hunter and his family have been fostering Chloe since her three-month recovery at the shelter and have decided to make it official.
Roxy, a 13-year-old Chihuahua, had her left hind foot partially amputated and was fitted with a custom prosthetic device. She is currently in a foster home and has about another month of recovery.
"Fitting a dog with prosthetics is quite an involved process and this was a first for San Diego Humane Society," said veterinarian Susan Garity. "It included sedation to create a mold of the feet, getting the prosthetics to fit perfectly, and monitoring for pressure sores. It takes time for the dogs to learn to use them, but our staff is so dedicated and I am so grateful we had our whole organization’s support in giving these sweet dogs a second chance at some normalcy."
This story was originally published by Mark Saunders at KGTV.
