New life, new story for 'Macy'

GAINESVILLE - Who would care or want a three-legged dog; a lot of people, it turns out, at the Hall County Animal Shelter, where a three-legged pooch named 'Macy' will soon be leaving for her 'forever home'.

"That is the name we gave her," shelter vet tech Amanda Threadgill said. "She came in with another name but we figured that she needed a fresh start to go along with her new story that she had, so we gave her the name 'Macy'."

Threadgill, who cares for four dogs and two cats of her own at home, has eventual plans to become a veterinarian but for the past three years she's been picking up valuable hands on experience at the shelter. This was the first time she had witnessed an animal amputation performed by shelter vet Dr. Meghan Seabolt, and it was the first time she's foster cared a canine amputee.

Macy's new story began when her former owner turned her over to the shelter recently after she returned home with a piece of wire wrapped around her rear left leg so badly that flesh was separating from bone.

"We got her in from a family who had come into some circumstances where they couldn't care for her," Threadgill recalled. "She got out of their care, had disappeared for a few days and when she came back she had a wire entangled around her leg."

Shelter caregivers tried to save the leg but in order to save Macy the leg had to be removed.

"Most of a dog's weight is carried in their front, about 70 percent on their two front legs, so if you're able to remove a rear leg you can do that very simply," Threadgill said, adding that three legged dogs, especially one with Macy's temperament, pull at the heart strings and are easily adopted.

"She is a love, she's very calm and laid back and enjoys being in the house and close to people and other animals. She's going to make a great pet," Threadgill said. "She doesn't know she's handicapped, and people want to give her a good home."

Macy leaves for her new home in about a week, as soon as her amputation incision heals.Shelter Director Mike Ledford said finding a home for Lacy was not really a challenge.

"These special cases tend to pull at the heart strings," Ledford said. "Folks come out and take notice and try to make accommodations for them. She's a great dog."

Ledford added that the goal is get all the shelter animals pulling at people's heartstrings.

"The adoption rate for the shelter has gone up, which is a great thing," he said. "We've got a staff that works tirelessly to get these animals adopted and into a 'forever home'.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/3/236749