RICHMOND, Va. -- A local non-profit has received $7,400 in donations to get a Boston Terrier mix walking on four legs again after he was abandoned in May.
Susie Gorman with the animal rescue FLOP, which stands for For the Love of Poodles, credited WTVR CBS 6 reporter Brendan King's story on three-year-old "Sparrow" in helping raise the money so quickly.
As a result, the dog's surgery has been scheduled for Wednesday at Veterinary Referral & Critical Care in Goochland County.
If you'd like to donate to help fund Sparrow's surgery, click here to make a donation GoFundMe set up here.
'Sparrow's' story is 'one of the worst cases'
Gorman, who is currently fostering the dog, said Henrico Animal Control seized "Sparrow" and four other Boston Terrier mix dogs from a home in May when the owner could no longer provide a safe home.
"We were told the previous owner was mentally ill and had to go into an institution. His family didn’t want the dogs so we took them in," Gorman explained.
The group of five dogs were all suffering from bad injuries including a dislocated eye, blindness, and other injuries from fighting.
Doctors believes "Sparrow" was hit by a car and walking on his broken hind legs for months before he was brought to FLOP in June.
"Both of his knees have been dislocated and are not even together so the joins are completely apart," Gorman described. "What he does is try to do a complete handstand and you can tell by his feet he’s balancing all the weight on his chest."
Sparrow
The other four dogs rescued were sent to a North Carolina shelter for rehabilitation, but staff considered "Sparrow's" injuries too serious.
His hind legs twist and turn when he walks. Despite the pain the young dog is as cheerful and playful as ever.
"When you look at him you cringe because it looks so amazingly painful. The surgeon is just amazed he’s not grumpy and nasty because it’s the pain that he goes through with every step," Gorman said.
FLOP brought "Sparrow" to Dr. Bart Miller at Crossroads West Veterinary Center in Henrico where the doctor attempted to fix the dog's legs. Miller stated that he attempted to stabilize the hind legs, but "Sparrow" still needs a more extensive surgery.
Sparrow
"This is possibly one of the worst cases we've seen with a dog that’s been walking on both broken hind legs for several months," Miller described. "Without the surgery we may need to amputate the leg. Basically he needs a bone plating surgery for him to walk without a brace."
Now Gorman and her non-profit are working to raise money so an orthopedic surgeon can help "Sparrow" walk and run like any other dog.
She said Sparrow refuses to use a wheelchair and tries to bite it off.
"He’s only three years old, so I want to give him the best quality of life," she said.
