A mixed breed dog found with a broken leg has lost the leg but found a new lease on life – and a new forever home – thanks to the efforts of the H.E.R.O.E.S of the Friends of the Westfield Animal Shelter.
Carole Tracey, the president of the group which does business under the name “H.E.R.O.E.S.” said the dog, named “Oscar” by the shelter volunteers, first came to the attention of the group late in March when a caller reported to police that a dog which had apparently been struck by a vehicle had been seen on Root Road.
An animal control officer found the dog and Oscar was taken to Montgomery Road Animal Hospital where no immediate medical attention was found to be necessary.
An examination showed that a vehicle may have struck Oscar but, if that occurred, it did not happen recently.
Oscar went to the city’s shelter on Apremont Way where he stayed for the statutory ten days required but he was not claimed.
Tracey said that during that period she researched Oscar’s condition and found that amputation was the best course of action for him.
“To fix the joint would have required too much joint reconstruction” she said. “It had been injured too long.”
The municipal shelter does not have funds for reconstruction surgery but Tracy thought that H.E.R.O.E.S. might be able to help and remembered that the executive director of the Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, Leslie Harris, had visited the Westfield Animal Shelter after it opened. Tracy happened to think of the visit while she was dealing with Oscar and remembered that Harris had mentioned that she sometimes has grants that might be able to help Westfield dogs with medical needs.
Tracy said that she called Harris but learned that there were no grants currently available.
However, Dakin operates an adoption center in Springfield that is staffed by a veterinarian, Katie Spaulding, who performs whatever surgery is necessary for animals awaiting adoption.
Although Dakin does not generally provide medical services, Candy Lash, the director of community and media relations said, “We do reach out to other rescue and adoption centers” and said “Dr. Spaulding was able to perform the needed surgery” for Oscar.
Tracy said that Dakin provided the surgery at “a wonderful price” that H.E.R.O.E.S. could afford and said that the organization was happy to fund Oscar’s surgery.
“This is our purpose, to help the animals. They don’t have anyone to help them. The shelter doesn’t have funds for this sort of surgery” she said.
Roz Gwozda , the H.E.R.O.E.S. treasurer said that Oscar was depressed when he first came to the shelter and “he wouldn’t pick up his head.” She said, however, that Oscar “came back to life” after the surgery and now “he’s a happy little guy.”
Tracy said that Oscar is doing well on three legs since the surgery.
“The dog jumped out of the car” when he came back from the surgery, she said and said that he’s now fully active.
Oscar did not return to the shelter, Tracy said, because it was better to keep him out of the busy and active environment there and because he needed consistent post-surgical care that would be difficult to manage with the many volunteers who share the tasks at the shelter.
Instead, Oscar was fostered by Jan and Guido Marchesi of Westfield.
Tracy said that Oscar “fell in love” with the Marchesi’s yellow Labrador retriever dog, “Newt”.
And the feeling was reciprocated.
Oscar’s search for a “forever home” ended in his foster home when he was adopted into the Marchesi home permanently.
Although Oscar is no longer looking for a home, Tracy said that there are plenty of dogs at the shelter that still are.
Persons who may want to adopt a dog from the shelter are invited to call 564-3129 to learn about the adoption process.
The Westfield Animal Shelter is municipally funded and falls under the oversight of the Westfield Police Department.
Police Capt. Michael McCabe said that the cities of Agawam and West Springfield contract with Westfield for care of dogs from their communities and that the city is considering ways the shelter can assist animal officials in the surrounding hilltowns, most of which have no facilities of their own for animal care.
Although the city provides for the basic needs of the Westfield shelter, the operation there relies largely on donations of supplies to help the animals. Pet supplies are always needed, of course, but so are a wide variety of household supplies.
Animal Control Officer Ken Frazer said that currently canned dog food is especially needed. “I’m always in need of that – and paper towels” he said.
