It’s a match made in heaven for this San Diego police detective who lost his leg in a crash and a double amputee Shih Tzu that he recently adopted.
Detective James “Chappie” Hunter fostered 9-year-old Chloe at his family’s Alpine home after the latter underwent a partial amputation of her back legs in March.
Chloe spent three months recovering at the San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido campus before Hunter took her in. Now, the family has decided to make Chloe’s stay permanent by adopting her!
On June 16, 2013, Hunter was off duty and riding his motorcycle one evening when it collided with a car on Alpine Boulevard. Unfortunately, the accident caused him to lose his left leg below the knee.
The detective spent a week at Sharp Memorial Hospital and was ready to work again with a prosthetic leg after a year of recovery.
Chloe was rescued with a 13-year-old Chihuahua named Roxy from a Mira Mesa residence on March 6. Their previous owner wrapped their back paws with bandages to prevent them from licking and scratching. However, the bandage was wound up so tightly that it cut off blood flow to their legs.
The poor dogs suffered severe injuries due to this negligence, and the San Diego Humane Society veterinarians had to make the difficult decision of partially amputating both of Chloe’s back feet and Roxy’s left hindfoot.
After the amputation, the humane society trained Chloe to walk again using a wheelchair and prosthetic devices. Meanwhile, Roxy underwent a skin flap procedure and has almost regained full use of her injured foot. Now, the dog wears a custom prosthetic device on her left leg.
Chloe is also doing better, especially after being fitted with orthopedic slippers for both of her back legs.
“Fitting a dog with prosthetics is quite an involved process and this was a first for San Diego Humane Society,” veterinarian Susan Garity said. “It included sedation to create a mold of the feet, getting the prosthetics to fit perfectly, and monitoring for pressure sores.”
She noted that it takes time for the dogs to learn to use them, but she’s grateful to have staff dedicated to giving these dogs a second chance at a normal life.
According to agency officials, Roxy is currently in a foster home and has another month in her recovery.
The Humane Law Enforcement officers of the San Diego Humane Society investigated the case involving Chloe and Roxy and have submitted recommendations to the San Diego City Attorney’s Office.
Another dog and owner who found a perfect match in each other is this boy with a prosthetic leg and a pup with a missing paw.
7-year-old Paxton Williams was born prematurely and developed an infection in his right leg that eventually stopped its growth. When he turned four years old, his affected leg was amputated. Now, the boy uses a prosthetic to help him walk.
Barb Felt owns a farm called Rolling Oaks Garden, which specializes in breeding and raising high-pedigree golden retrievers. There, they had one pup named Marvel, who was born with a missing front right paw.
The farm posted about the dog on their Facebook page, and they received many inquiries from families hoping to adopt her.
But when one of Barb’s former clients reached out to her and told her about Paxton, she felt that he would be a perfect match for Marvel.
She then got in touch with Paxton’s dad, Blaine Williams, and the family agreed to meet the dog. And during their first meeting, it became clear that Marvel was meant to be with Paxton! The adoption process lasted about three weeks, and Marvel finally came home with them.
These adoption stories prove that having a best friend who is just like you makes life better!
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