Hello, I have been named “Trooper”.  There is power in a compassionate heart that reaches out to help an injured creature in a time of need.  That is my message and I want to share my story:  I was thrown away along a roadside, and the person who tossed me out gave no more thought to it than if he were tossing out a used hamburger wrapper—just opened the door and threw me out and kept driving.  I stayed at the same location knowing for certain that my “beloved owner” had made a profound mistake and would return (abandoned dogs will stay in the same location for days waiting for their owners return).  As night fall approached, I started listening to the wild creatures...especially to howling hungry packs of coyotes.  It was about this moment that I started to become really frightened and happened to look up at an oncoming vehicle and felt certain it was my “beloved owner” returning for me.  I was so overjoyed!  The approaching vehicle looked as if it was my “beloved owner” speeding towards me to rescue me...I ran towards the vehicle...my tongue was hanging and my tail was wagging then POW!  My euphoric moment, in a split second, transformed to my meeting death in the face.  I was hit by the speeding vehicle.  The impact and noise paralleled the intense pain that covered my four-legged body.  I have never felt such a pain as my leg wrapped around my neck ripping an eight inch wound that exposed my bone on the inner side of my front left leg.  I crawled into the ditch wounded in body but the greatest pain was in my lonely heart—I longed for my “beloved owner”—a lasting loyalty that he knows little about.  Mankind can learn so much if he would adopt my level of loyalty.  My streak of bad luck reversed itself when a Good Samaritan stopped to examine “something” moving in the ditch.  As soon as she opened the door, I jumped in her car’s front seat and used all my energy to wag my tail and lick her hands.  The kind lady took me to a veterinarian where I was diagnosed with a damaged peroneal nerve that prevents me from using the muscles in my injured leg.

If I continue to have no use for my leg, the medical decision will be amputation.  Wait! Please don’t start to feel sorry for me!  I was “rescued” after being “dumped” and then left injured and defenseless in a ditch.  By all odds, I should not be alive.  I’m feeling extremely lucky at this moment because I still have my life and I’m enjoying it!  I get around rather well on three legs.  We canines have a remarkable ability to adjust to physical challenges.  I will soon be looking for a forever home.  I’m living with the foster family that rescued me and they have three young children, a dog, and a cat and I get along with everyone.  I’m a beautiful Sheppard-mix with three strong legs, less than two years old, neutered, vaccinated, heartworm negative, and full of loyalty, love and hope.  I owe my very existence to one person with a compassionate heart and a group of people who care about all companion animals-Paw Pals.  My medical expenses are paid by their special account labeled “Save-a-Life”.  If you would like to help me or others in need of medical care such as heart-worm treatments, please donate to this specific cause.  Your donation will enable other companion animals a second chance to life.  If you have a compassionate heart and room in your home to provide foster care for a companion animal looking for a home, please call Lana at 582-8902.  Hill County has no animal shelter, and Paw Pals relies solely on foster homes for unwanted pets waiting to be adopted into their forever homes.  For more information, please call (254) 580-0679; or email hcpawpals@yahoo.com.