Dog rescued by Michigan State troopers needs help with vet bills

DETROIT – If it wasn't for two animal-loving Michigan State troopers, Joy may not have been given a second chance. But now that she has one, she needs help.

Troopers Casey Allison and Joel Kuhn found the pit bull when they responded to a car crash Sept. 9 near eastbound Interstate 96 and Joy Road in Detroit.

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"The dog was trying to walk but kept falling down, had road rash on all for paws and she was in a lot of pain," said Gina Deluca, vice president of 4 Paws 1 Heart. "The officers compassionately helped get the injured dog in their patrol truck and immediately they started networking to find help for her."

The troopers called the Animal Urgent and Critical Care Center in Harper Woods, which offered to take the pit bull in. After that, 4 Paws 1 Heart offered to help with the cost of caring for her injuries until an owner could be located.

"We decided to call her 'Joy,'" said Deluca. "When she arrived to the hospital she was in shock, the staff at the hospital stabilized her but she wasn't getting better."

Joy stopped eating, drinking, and couldn't keep anything down.

After an exploratory surgery vet technicians found that due to the trauma from the impact of the car, the her intestines were not moving properly. On top of that, Joy had torn ACL's in both knees, a broken pelvis (three fractures), and a small fracture in the fibula.

"The cost of the surgeries would wipe our funds out because we are a small organization that relies on donations," Deluca said.

 4 Paws 1 Heart has already put about $1,800 into the medical care for Joy -- and surgery on her knees is going to be about another $5,000 to $7,000.   

"In order to provide what she needs we have to raise some money," said Deluca. " We are asking for any help that we can get to set aside for her knee surgeries and therapy post-op."

Donations can be sent by mail to:

4 paws 1 Heart

P.O. Box 84
St. Clair Shores, MI 48080

Visit 4paws1heart.org or of their Facebook page here.