Three-legged dog with ‘inspiring’ journey raised her pups. Now she needs a home
_fitted.jpeg "A dog mom who lost her leg is up for adoption in North Carolina.")
A three-legged mama dog had an “inspiring” journey — and now, she needs a home of her own.
“I have had a rough life for a 4 year old,” a North Carolina animal rescue said April 15 in a Facebook post written from the perspective of Rhea the dog. “I mean I am very lucky let me tell ya!”
Paws Place Dog Rescue said Rhea is ready for a fresh start after she went through a rough patch. She was pregnant when she was picked up as a stray and brought to a South Carolina shelter that was low on space.
“She delivered all the puppies at the county shelter, but due to the environment, she was not doing well at all,” Lee VanOrmer, president of the rescue, told McClatchy News in an email. “She was also missing her rear foot (still had part of the leg).”
After Rhea gave birth in November, her six baby girls — Bunny, Koala, Monkey, Otter, Panda and Puffin — all were transferred to the rescue in Winnabow, North Carolina. As of April 17, four of the puppies had been adopted and the two others waited for homes, according to the animal organization’s website.
“Once the puppies were weaned and separated, we had her leg assessed and it was determined that it needed to be amputated,” VanOrmer wrote. “Rhea is now healed, spayed and up to date on all vaccinations.”
Rhea is described as a “sweet” and “remarkable” mixed-breed dog. She gets along with other pets but is sometimes insecure after all that has happened to her. The rescue believes she would thrive in a home where she can receive help from another canine friend, according to rescuers and WWAY.
“Watching her nurture her puppies and now beginning to enjoy life again herself has been both inspiring and heartwarming for all of us at Paws Place,” VanOrmer wrote.
As of April 17, the rescue’s website listed Rhea as available for adoption. Details about the animal organization’s adoption process can be found at pawsplace.org.
“I am so happy to have found a safe place for me and my girls but I am ready to find comfort in a forever home,” the rescue wrote from Rhea’s perspective.
Winnabow is a roughly 15-mile drive southwest from Wilmington.
