Laying on my floor right now is a stray dog from the neighborhood. I'd seen her limping around for weeks now. I figured her leg was broken, and it made me angry seeing her go in and out of a house down the block. How could they let the dog be like that??

Valentine's Day, while walking my baby Gigi, a toy poodle mix, this dog came to greet us from the front yard. I was horrified to see the right hip bone sticking out. I immediately walked home to get my phone and started making calls. I needed to street address to file an abuse complaint with Animal Care Services.

As I stood in front of "the" house, a teenager from the home came up and and I asked if the dog was theirs. He said no. I asked if he'd noticed the bone sticking out and told him I'd seen the dog go in the house. He then said his mom felt sorry for her and fed her. But again, the dog was NOT theirs.  I asked, "So it's ok for me to call Animal Care Services to pick her up?" and was told, "Go ahead." ACS = euthanasia for an injury like this one.

Then I saw these two boys running off with her. To "lose" her, I was certain. I live three blocks one way from a major street and two blocks from an interstate. I was really worried they would run her so that she'd get hit by a car. My neighbor went walking and I got in the car. I found her several blocks over and used some dog food to walk her back to my house and put her in the yard. ASC was scheduled to come get her.

My Mom happened by and we decided to take her to a vet to see what the cost would be to get her fixed up. After about 90 minutes we saw a vet who told us the leg would need to be amputated or she needed to be put down. They worked up an approximate cost of $1500. After great wrestling with the cost I decided to have her put down. I told the vet and she let me know I would just need to sign some paperwork. When she came back in the room, she told me she'd called the owner of the hospital and volunteered her services, we would just need to pay for everything but the her fee. Cocoa is alive today because of that vet.

Her leg was amputated on Tuesday. "Grandma" and I went to see her that night. She was pretty doped up, but she acknowledged us with a few tail thumps. I was able to find a large crate via craigslist that night, pick it up and get it set up. I felt a little more calm knowing she would have a safe place to recoup.

The vet called Wednesday to let us know she was up and about, eating, drinking and going to the bathroom. She could come "home" that night. Since things have been progressing at great speed. She is getting around really well, but the vet guessed the leg had been broken about a month, so she had a lot of practice already. She eats well, goes the the bathroom fine (as long as I'm not watching). She has found every dog toy in the house (even a few I'd forgotten). She loves squeaking them. I can tell she was an outdoor dog and wishes she could run and play.

I can also tell she enjoys knowing where her next meal is coming from. That she has toys and soft places to sleep. She is a huge lover and every square inch of skin has been licked by her. Our biggest issue is the stupid collar. It can't come off quick enough for any of us.

The vet thinks she's about a year old. She weighs 40 lbs (a big change from my 8 lb poodle!). They believe she is a shar pei / german shepard mix.

I've been reading everything I can on tripawds. I have to much to learn to help her live a healthy, happy life.