Looking for something a little different when it comes to a tripawd companion? Meet Maria, an Akbash, a traditional Turkish stock guardian from Anatolia (think Great Pyrenees, but in Turkey). She’s a big, friendly lovebird and here’s what Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network in Whitewright, TX has to say about her:

In late 2022, a family of 7 Akbash dogs were found as strays and trapped in Emory, Texas - 2 adults and 5 pups. Maria was thought to be the mom of the pups.

Before rescuers were able to trap Maria, she was critically injured, most likely hit by a car. She managed to drag herself off the side of the road and into the woods. Thankfully we were able to find her and take her to our vet where x-rays showed that her pelvis had been shattered into several pieces, and her leg suffered multiple breaks including a splintered femoral head. Maria's best shot at surviving her injuries required amputating the damaged leg so that the weight of the leg wouldn't cause further injury to the pelvis. Maria has made tremendous progress in her recovery, and now is fully ambulatory as a tripawd. She's not going to enter any marathons, but she can walk and run in her play yard with no problems. She even manages to stand firm when her pups (who each weigh around 70 lbs now) stand up and put their front paws on her back. Her pups are almost as big as she is, so she has to be pretty sturdy to handle their weight on her back.

Maria is a big, friendly girl who loves attention from her humans. She will stand right next to you, standing with one of her paws on your foot so that you can pet her. During her recovery, Maria got used to using puppy pads to do her business. Now, she waits until we let her outside. She is crate-trained and seems to like her crate as a good place to escape the rowdiness of her daughters.

If Maria sounds like the perfect dog for you, please submit your application here.

barn@lonestarmail.net

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Psst! - If Maria’s been taken or isn’t quite for you, perhaps consider other Texan tripawds such as Big Mac, Buster, Harper, Lefty, Remington, Tillie, Sox, Daisy, Cammie, Ella, Tripp, Maven, Gemma, Eugene, Snooki, Zsa-Zsa, Marinel, Bingo, Cookie, Finnegan, Coal, Teddy, and Bailey!

While you’re at it, maybe meet some of these amazing Texan trikitties too: Hopalong, Sass, Herbie, and Barbara!

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If these tripawds aren’t near enough or the right fit for you, perhaps share them with someone who is?

To find a better matched tripawd of your own, try this!

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Note: With any tripawd, it’s good to ask about the reason for the amputation if it’s unlisted, just to get a clearer picture of the pet’s health and history. “Unknown” isn’t a dealbreaker, but more info can help you as a pet parent make a more informed decision!