A little 4-month-old pit puppy was darting in and out of heavy traffic on the 110 freeway and was struck by a car. Both her front legs were broken. Animal Control was called as passers-by saw her attempting to drag herself off the busy road. She was dangling her left leg and limped on a badly broken right
leg.

The Animal Control Officer found her in the brush took her directly to a local vet where she was x-rayed. The images showed her right leg broken in two places and her left leg with multiple splintered fractures. The shelter thought her injuries were too severe and ordered the euthanasia. But the vet felt her legs could be repaired, although he knew it would take a specialist. So he asked his staff to contact local rescues.

For nearly two weeks no rescue would step up and take this dog. The quote from LA vets to fix her legs was nearing $7,000. The vet had medicated her for pain but said she could not wait any longer if a rescue did not take her she would have to be euthanized.

Emails went around, and then around again. I was at that vet a couple of times and heard about the story. I also found out the Office Manager of the vet was about to leave her job because of a serious illness, this would be the last dog she would rescue. This dog had to be saved. But the dog was a pit and going to be a very expensive rescue, even I did not want to take her. But Joan from Adopt-A-Chow-LA was networking the dog and was already raising donation promises for surgery. Someone just needed to take the lead on the dog.

The x-rays went around again to find a “rescue friendly” vet who could perform the surgeries at a discount. Finally Plaza Del Amo Animal Hospital in Torrance agreed. But still there was no point person to assume the financial responsibility and to take on finding the dog a home after the dog recuperated. Who had room for a 4-month-old pit?

At the urging of a couple of rescuers who were about to go out of town on a long vacation, I took control of the dog’;s destiny and care. The Office Manager named her Penny and I added The-Pinned-Pit-Puppy. The surgery and pins would cost about $3000-$4000. With the help of Joan and emailing I was able to raise most of it.

Penny was supposed to be dog aggressive because any time a dog came near the cage she went nuts. Evidently that was because of her injuries as she would come home with me on the weekends (in my studio apartment) to go to adoptions and with the aid of crate-training Penny never showed signs of being dog aggressive. For a long time I called her my “forever foster” as there seemed to be no home for her. She now lives with me and my two other dogs and cat. She has a couple of huge scars from her surgeries. But other than those “war” wounds she is healthy and happy and nothing stops her.