Paralyzed Pup Left on Shelter Doorstep With Heartbreaking Note
"She's as sweet as can be," said the shelter CEO.
— -- One paralyzed pup is still smiling, despite being abandoned on the doorstep of a Florida shelter.
"Even though though she's had some very severe trauma to her spine, she's as sweet as can be," said Sherry Silk, CEO of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, a no-kill shelter in Tampa, Florida. "... She's bright, alert and she'll give you little kisses."
Silk told ABC News that on Monday morning, the shelter's maintenance worker discovered an animal crate on the property.
Inside was Genie, an estimated 2-and-a-half-year-old Cocker Spaniel mix, and attached to her cage was a note from the dog's previous owner.
It read:
“Please help my Genie. Genie (her name) is paralyzed from I believe her hips to her hind legs. I tried to manage her pain with medication from her vet but they only ease her pain and she needs surgery. I cannot afford so I ask that the Animal Health Center heal her and find her a loving forever home. Thank you."
Silk said the shelter's veterinarian's are unsure as to how Genie became paralyzed, but suspect she may have fallen or gotten hit by a car.
In addition to her disability, Genie also has bladder issues that vets are now trying to treat, Silk said.
And although the pup was left behind, Silk said the Humane Society feels no ill will toward Genie's past owners.
"I know that had to be a hard decision to leave her in the middle of the night," she said. "We're doing our best to treat her now and believe with a combination of these medicines, that there will be enough improvements. There are are people that worry about handicapped animals, so I think we'll be able to find her a home."
Silk said the Humane Society of Tampa Bay has been asking for donations to get Genie a set of wheels.