Fundraiser for dog's prosthetic legs now gives other dogs hope

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True’s good fortune may be Evie’s salvation.

The mixed-breed pooch, True, had his legs hacked off in the Ukraine by his drug-addicted owner.

The man died of an overdose and the charity Cause 4 Paws rescued True and brought him to Toronto.

A recent fundraiser was held hoping to collect $5,000 for a pair of prosthetic legs as True’s only mode of transportation is now kangaroo style.

The fundraiser brought in $22,000 and the extra cash will be able to help rescue other dogs like Evie, the little white mutt who was shot in the back in Moscow, a common Russian practice to cull the population of stray dogs.

Cause 4 Paws, working with rescue partners overseas, now have Evie in safety.

“She had been dragging herself around for a while. Evie is now at the vet in Moscow for further assessment. We are hoping to bring her to Canada for a new life. It will be costly. She will need a flight, a wheelchair, a lot of vet bills and therapy,” said Helen Antoniou, co-founder of Cause 4 Paws.

Russia has a horrific reputation when it comes to animal welfare that first came to world-wide attention prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics when countless thousands of strays were killed with poison darts to sanitize host city’s aesthetics.

Many former East Block countries have outdoor dog pounds where a year-old dog like True with no front legs or little Evie with a bullet in her back have little chance of survival because of the winter or they starve.

Antoniou started her charity rescue seven years ago in her homeland of Greece where an economic crisis forced many to abandon family pets into the streets. Since then, Cause 4 Paws has saved more than 500 dogs internationally.

True is now being fostered and under the care of a vet until he is in shape to start rehabilitation and be fitted for prosthetic front legs.

His vet is getting him in good health to start water therapy sessions to improve limb strength while Cause 4 Paws is prosthetic shopping. They are also investigating the option of surgical leg implants.

True’s foster mom, Erin Blaak,  says it’s a long road.

“It’s hard to find a foster home because people don’t want to foster them. Finding a forever home takes time,” said Blaak, who with her boyfriend are now fostering three dogs.

She says True is a cuddly dog who always has a smile on his face and shows no signs of his horrific past.

“It will be hard to give True up, but I’ll go on to the next foster dog. This could turn into a failed foster and I just keep him,” Blaak said.

Cause 4 Paws has a Go Fund Me page where people can make donations.

“People could also make a donation to the Beaches Animal Hospital in our name. We have outstanding bills there,” Antoniou said.

kconnor@postmedia.com

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