By Brendan Rees
Six-month old rescue pup Charm has not had the best start in her short life.
She was saved from an abusive owner and arrived at a shelter underweight and with a missing front leg.
Debra Jeff of Lyndhurst has been fostering Charm, believed to be a Catahoula/Whippet since January. She says she’s “doing OK” but the “long-term outcome is not good.”
“She’s already showing signs of curvature in the spine.”
The operation is expected to cost $2,000 with the new prosthetic limb to cost about $3,000.
“Charm was with a mentally disturbed person that had been banned from having animals, we don’t really know what the conditions were like for her, we can only imagine,” Debra says.
“We are not sure how it happened but we know that she was not born like this.”
Debra explained Charm’s missing leg was putting a “massive strain on her spine.”
She now suffers from stiffness, limping, restricted movement and rotation, sensitivity to touch, and back pain to name a few as a result.
“Charm will need to have a partial amputation of what is remaining on the limb because at the moment the stump is too sensitive to be able to have a prosthetic fitted comfortably,” Debra said.
When Charm arrived four months ago at Starting Over Dog Rescue, a registered not for profit charity run by volunteers, “she literally inhaled food” in the first couple of weeks in care.
“Because I don’t work I put my hand up and said ‘yep, we’ll take her.’”
Charm has been seeing a physio twice a week doing exercises and swimming, and water treadmill to build her muscles and gain core strength.
“For a dog that has been through so much she is so loving and has such a sweet nature despite what life has thrown at her so far,” Debra says.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for people willing to donate funds. Details visit: https://www.facebook.com/StartingOverDogRescue/ or via bank: Commonwealth Bank to Starting Over dog Rescue BSB 063 184 ACC 10373408 (please mark any donation as Charm’s Leg).
“Any extra funds raised would greatly be appreciated to give this gorgeous girl the best new start we can,” Debra said.
