KAMLOOPS THHIS WEEK – Sunday, March 20, 2004
"Getting a leg up
by Danna Johnson
Staff reporter
Oakley, Barney and Kirby all have Biscuit to thank.
Three dogs in the past three weeks have found their way to the Kamloops branch of the B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). All the dogs needed surgery – all would have gone without had it not been for the provincial Biscuit Fund.
The fund is set up as a provincial reserve to SPCA shelters to draw upon when animals require care that is "beyond the means of shelter to provide", Kamloops SPCA executive director Jennifer Gore said. Oakley, Barney and Kirby all fit the profile.
Oakley is the only one of the three dogs still awaiting surgery. The shepherd-cross puppy was part of a litter left at the office.
His is a congenital defect – the radius in his front right leg is sticking out, he can’t bear any weight on it.
Vets are still working out the best way to remedy the problem and will operate this week.
Kirby, a six-year-old miniature poodle, was surrendered to the SPCA during an investigation of cruelty to animals. The poodle’s front left leg had been completely shattered during an altercation with a big dog, and required an extensive operation the owners couldn’t afford.
"He would have been in a lot of pain and been quite uncomfortable," Gore said. "He needed surgery as soon as possible."
And then there’s Barney, a one-year-old Labrador-cross who was also recovered after a cruelty investigation.
He arrived at the shelter with head injuries and an injury to his left leg. The leg injury had been endured when he was a puppy and had healed, but as a result, hadn’t grown properly.
Barney was at Central Animal Hospital Thursday undergoing his operation.
"He can’t bear any weight on the leg," explains veterinarian Steve Lewis.
It’s a fairly uncommon operation, Lewis said.
"It’s unusual. We see way more broken bones."
Each operation cost about $1,500, Gore said, which included a hefty discount.
None of the operations would have been possible without the Biscuit Fund.
To donate, visit the shelter on 8th Street, or log on to www.spca.bc.ca