MACLELLANS BROOK – Ann Stewart didn’t know how she would pay for her dog’s surgery, but knew she had to do what she could to save his leg.
Stewart’s dog Tar ran out onto the road early in the morning on Thursday and was hit by a car. The driver stopped the car to see if the dog was hurt, but Tar was nowhere to be found.
Stewart said Tar, a three-year-old boxer mix, was staying at her father’s house at the time. When she heard the news and came over to look for Tar, the whole neighbourhood was already scouring the area.
“It was remarkable,” she said. “The whole neighbourhood was looking for him. There were people searching for him I didn’t even know, but they knew the dog… and I was standing there and just thought, ‘wow,’ because there were people everywhere.”
Stewart said Tar wasn’t found until 2:30 p.m. Thursday, about a mile from where he was hit.
“He was three fields over and he was 300 metres in the woods leaning against a tree,” she said. “Once we found him, two different women ran back home to get blankets, I went up and got one of those lawn chairs that recline to use as a stretcher.”
Stewart is thankful for the help she received from her neighbours, family and friends in locating Tar.
“If we didn’t find him that day, I think the coyotes probably would have got him,” she said.
When Stewart took Tar to the vet, they told her all they could do was amputate the leg, unless she could take him to Halifax for surgery, so she did.
Tar is now back at home and recovering, but Stewart and her husband are struggling to finance the vet bills that so far have accumulated to almost $3000.
“I’m not working and my husband is on a pension,” she said.
Stewart is placing penny jars at local businesses with Tar’s photo and story in hopes that the community that helped locate the beloved pet will also help offset the costs of his surgery. She said any donations will help.
“I know it’s only a penny, but it adds up,” she said.
Stewart said Tar is doing better since the surgery, and will have to go back for more X-rays in six weeks to see how he is recovering.
“He’s not supposed to move for 14 days, only to go out to pee and its another 42 days before he’s allowed to go back to regular activity, and this is a hyper dog,” she said. “You can tell he’s antsy and all ready to go.”
Yes please a site to donate with a credit card