Meet Wendy, 3-4 years old. Just like ALL dogs who end up in rescue, Wendy has a story. Picked up by animal control, she was a mess, read about her journey below.

Wendy here, telling you about my recent past, I'm mums the word on my far past, I want to forget it. Animal control picked me up as a stray and brought me to a shelter. I was shaved down so they could poke and prod me to death it seemed. I heard them say I was most likely hit by car, road rash on chin, front legs, chest and broken leg. That is my leg bone sticking out in the pictures below. I was given antibiotics, pain meds and ointment for my sore spots. Then I was picked up and taken to a house, lots of dogs but less noise and calmer. Even with my broken leg I liked to hop around the yard and tried to get my head pat by the camera lady (see above).

I was so sad when I first saw Wendy, she was so little and obviously in pain but she was hopping around interested in her new surroundings. It was amazing. She could not put weight on that broken leg but could move it. When I saw the bone sticking out I was just shocked. The vet said she was anemic, had parasites, under weight, compound fracture would result in the leg being removed and that had to happen before we tackled those mammory tumors all over her belly. Bloodwork needed to be done and get some food and rest and be as good as could be because that surgery to remove the leg was only 3 days away. I kept her in a pen or doggie stroller to protect her from the other dogs and keep her by my side always, she would cry if she couldn''t see me.

Wendy here again, I was in shock when I woke up, they did surgery and removed my leg, I was hurting but nothing a little sleep wouldn't help. When I woke up the next day, I was HUNGRY and relieved, the other pain was gone, replaced by new pain but it is a relief not to have to hold that leg up all the time.

Nothing to say but she seemed relieved after her leg was removed. I, her foster mom, was shocked, that was some incision. She ate 5 times a day, lived in a doggie stroller and pen area in the living room to keep her safe. She was going great. She was hopping around to potty the very next day. We focused on getting good food into her and letting her rest, gain strength and let the nutrients heal her. She especially liked the chicken breast hand fed to her throughout the day. After 14 days of stitches, I gave her a week to heal a bit more and be a NORMAL dog before the next surgery for the tumors. She enjoyed herself on walks and showed me she could destroy a toy in 20 minutes, total anihilation!

Hi again, Wendy here, this part of my story is where I tell you the hard stuff. They took me to the vet again and I woke up with a tube in my leg and staples about 3/4 of my belly. I didn't know what to think, why did they do this to me? I promptly took out that tube, the nurse seemed shocked I would do that. Then when she wasn't looking I pulled out about 10 staples, I did not like them in there. Well they were shocked at that and put the staples back in and put this stupid e-collar on me! I was mad now, not just annoyed. So after awhile they stopped watching me so close and I pulled those staples out again. This time all hell broke loose, they put the staples back in and assigned someone to hold me the rest of the day till my foster mom returned.

The everything went fine message on my cell phone was a little odd but I was having a busy day at work so I did not have time to be paniced. The message said to come back to pick-up Wendy later in the day, the surgery went ok, call if I could. Due to my busy day, I did not get to call but did stop to pick-up some baby onzies in a small size for little Wendy. I knew she would have about 5 sets of stitches from her Spay and tumor removal. They told me to come to the operating room as the offices were all full, I turn the corner and there is Wendy is a tech's arms resting. I asked why they were holding her, was it because she was so cute? Then they opened the towel she was wrapped in and my stomach hit the floor, I saw all those staples and her whole belly was a mess, I was shocked and I might add I'm not real good with stitches and blood never mind this! They explained what happened, I said I had a onzie in the car so we put it on her and it fit perfect, then I had to carefully carry her home. They said to not let her out of my sight. I put her in her pen and put a HUGE e-collar on her and she simply seemed miserable. No food, no pills could get in her, she just was not happy. -- 48 hours later things are improving, she is eating, potty-ing, resting. I only put the e-collar on her when I have to sleep, otherwise she is by my side in the doggie stroller. Her onzie is changed 2 times a day due to leakage and we won't go into details! It was a hard 48 hours for me but now we have a routine.

She goes everywhere, to the office when I go, to dinner at friends house, if she can't go I don't go. My neighbors watched her for me so I could run errands. The office ladies watched her while I ran out at my lunch. She is just super adorable in her onzies and LOVES to be held and pat on the head. She did manage to get 2 staples out one day when I did not have her onzie on and I was on a conference call for work, I felt bad screaming NO! into the phone when I noticed but everyone understood when I explained. She just did not like those staples and the swelling was bad and bruising, I felt bad for her but knew it was for her good. One of the tumors was cancerous but the lymph and blood showed no signs of spreading so that was a relief. 12 days into this and the staples were removed and the 5 stitches under her front leg. Finally, she is free!

Wendy is doing well now, still a little tender it's only been 3 weeks since her last surgery but she walks 2x a day and plays in the yard/house; misses going to work with me but likes to find places to sleep around the house. She is just about ready for her new home, she has gained almost 1/2 a lb., eating well. Her fur is growing back and will FILL-IN that awkward sudden gouge through the back half of her body. She has been through alot and I should have named her Trooper because she has been one. At first I wanted to name her Ford because she was 'built Ford tough' and that was before all this, just being so sweet with a broken bone sticking out of the skin was enough for me to think she was tough. But she was also a girly dog so Wendy was her name.

This story is a hard one, expensive and time consuming, my life has turned upside down for sure. This is unlike other dogs that are owner surrenders and strays without the drama but they are all great dogs looking for a forever home. Donations are what keep this rescue group going and allow us to do this type of work. Fosters like me (not all dogs are this intense) are able to house the dogs while they recover and transition to a new life. Adopters allow these dogs to find new homes and open a spot for the next one that is waiting for a lifeline to the future. If you can help please do.

UPDATE: Oct 2009, Wendy has just blossomed into a great little dog, not so protective of food, space, toys now. She is acting more and more like a NORMAL dog every day. She continues to evolve and is doing great.