Watch above: Animal rescue workers are surprised she survived at all. Now Gredda is known as one of the happiest dogs around. Laurel Gregory has her story.
EDMONTON — A young Staffordshire terrier who was found extremely emaciated in eastern Alberta has been given a new lease on life.
“I’m surprised she lived as long as she did,” said Terra MacLean with the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society. “You can see her ribs and her back bone. She’s really skinny.”
Two-year-old Gredda was found on a rural property last week. Staff members at SCARS suspect she didn’t belong to anyone.
“The story is that she was hit by a car,” said MacLean. “She lived outdoors, fending for herself for the better part of two to three months, dragging her hind legs behind her.”
Gredda was picked up by rescuers from a Lloydminster clinic and taken to the Westlock Veterinary Center for treatment. After a thorough examination, Dr. Trevor Jackson determined Gredda wasn’t in any pain and would be able to have a good quality of life. While she has no function in her back legs, Jackson says the young pup still has complete control of her bladder and bowel.
“In the last week and a half she’s put on a lot of weight, she’s become much heavier, she’s happier, she’s been getting very good care,” said Jackson.
While she’s been through a lot, the dog’s spirits certainly haven’t been damaged; Gredda was lively and doing tricks at the Westlock clinic Wednesday afternoon.
“We met her and instantly fell in love. She’s got a ton of personality and she clearly doesn’t know she’s paralyzed,” said MacLean. “She’s very friendly, loves attention and loves people.
“She’s got a lot of personality.”
The staff at SCARS are working to fit Gredda into a wheelchair before adopting her out. She’s taken a few for test runs and already appears very comfortable.
“The first wheelchair we tried her in, she literally was running within 10 minutes,” said MacLean. “She’s so excited just to be able to move faster.”
“She’s doing very well in the wheelchair and I think she’s going to have a happy future life,” added Jackson.
SCARS is looking for a loving home for Gredda. MacLean says the energetic dog gets along with other animals and people, but she will need a bit more attentive care.
“You can’t go into it feeling sorry for her like she’s going to lay on a dog bed and just rest all the time. She’s a very active dog and she’s very young,” MacLean said. “She’s happy and just needs the TLC and a little assistance to get around.”
For more information on Gredda, or other adoptable animals, visit the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society’s website.