Pound pup on mend, but waiting for foster home

Cutie’s Fund helped pay for surgery on leg

Laura Simmons of the Lucas County Dog Warden's Office holds George, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi mix, who was hit by a car. The dog had a broken leg which is healing after surgery on March 8.

George, a Pembroke Welsh corgi mix who came into the Lucas County Dog Warden on March 2, has not had the easiest month.

The low-to-the-ground, brindle-and-white dog, who has a cute brown spot on his head, was hit by a car on West Bancroft Street near Fulton Street and picked up by a deputy dog warden and taken to the emergency veterinarian, Lucas County Dog Warden Julie Lyle said.

Thanks to financial help from Cutie’s Fund, a program to help dogs that come into the pound with high-cost medical needs, he had surgery to repair his leg on March 8.

Now George is trying to take it easy while his leg heals for another five weeks. He needs to go into foster home, but so far none of the pound’s approved transfer partners — the rescue groups that take dogs in need — has come forward.

“He prefers men, and can be a bit sassy with women, and is getting protective in his cage from other dogs,” Ms. Lyle said.

Nikki Morey, executive director of Planned Pethood, which takes many dogs from the pound, said all of the group’s foster homes are full. But if a new foster person were interested in taking on George, the organization would be happy to bring him or her on as a new volunteer.

“Their current and past animals have to have had normal, regular vaccines, following vet advice and receiving regular vet care,” Ms. Morey said.

The dog warden’s office has taken in more than $38,500 since starting fund-raising efforts Nov. 28 for Cutie’s Fund.

The fund has been helping dogs such as its namesake, a Chihuahua brought in during the middle of the night with a dead puppy lodged in her birth canal. The emergency-care bill for Cutie was more than $1,400.

The first $5,000 in public donations was matched by Block Communications Inc., parent company of The Blade. The fund was seeded with a $5,000 donation from John Robinson Block, publisher and editor-in-chief of The Blade, and Allan Block, chairman of BCI.

By contributing to Cutie’s Fund, animal lovers can make tax-deductible gifts to help with emergency and life-saving care and for the hospitalization of sick, injured, or mistreated dogs assisted by the dog warden’s office.

Donations may be made in person or mailed to the Lucas County Dog Warden, 410 S. Erie St., Toledo, 43604, or online at tinyurl.com/CutiesFund. Checks should be made payable to the Lucas County Dog Warden with “for Cutie’s Fund” specified on the memo line.

For more information about becoming a foster volunteer, contact Planned Pethood at 419-826-3499 or fill out a foster volunteer application at tinyurl.com/PlannedPethoodfostering.

Blade animal welfare reporter Tanya Irwin adopted Cutie from the Lucas County Dog Warden’s Office via the department’s regular adoption process.

Contact Tanya Irwin at tirwin@theblade.com or 419-724-6066.