Tornado Survivor Crawls Home on Broken Legs
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32 commentsA battered, courageous dog has survived a tornado ride, only to spend days making a painful journey home, crawling with two badly broken front legs.
Mason was hiding in the garage of his North Smithfield, AL home on April 27th when his family says a twister carried him away. After days spent searching the family had almost given up – until they returned to their home Monday to retrieve personal items. Mason was waiting for them on the front porch.
“He’s got 2 broken legs and they’re distal radial ulnar fractures, they’ve not been able to be in alignment so neither one of them have healed so he had to crawl on 2 broken legs to get home,” said Dr. Barbara Benhart, a veterinarian with the Birmingham-Jefferson County Animal Control Shelter.
“This is probably the most dramatic we’ve seen as far as an injury in an animal that’s survived this long,” said shelter worker Phil Doster. “It’s kind of tapering off, the amount of animals we’re seeing because of the storm. For an animal just to show up on someone’s porch after this time was pretty remarkable, especially with the condition he’s in.”
Mason is now in the care of a local vet while surgeons try to determine what it will take to repair his legs – they are doing the work for free.
What an amazing dog! And good for the vets for doing his surgery for free. I hope he’s able to make a complete recovery!
Did I hear that correctly? Mason’s people have released this incredible dog who crawled back to their doorstep to the care of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Animal Control Shelter and a kind/generous veterinarian? They don’t want him?? How sad.
I sincerely hope Mason fully recovers and finds the family he deserves. What an amazing spirit.
Maybe not (per news report),
“Mason’s owners asked the shelter to take him because they’re not able to care for him while they try and piece their lives back together.”
Clearly this family has suffered a great deal following the storm and are trying to do what is good for Mason probably because they are having financial hardships as well. But, there is also this from the attending vet…
“Mason was evaluated this afternoon but no course of treatment has been set yet. The hope is that after he recovers, he can return to his original family.”
If it turns out that the family can’t take him back then the shelter is committed to finding him a good home.
Let’s pray he can return to his original family once he recovers from surgery and the family has had time to rebuild their lives so they can take him back. Personally, I think they need each other.
My question is why did the dog have to hide in the garage?
What an amazing dog and amazing veterinary clinic.
I hope he can reunite with his owners who he loves. When my grandmother past she had a puppy that would not eat he missed her so.
After what he’s been through it would be sad for him to give up now. A dog is the most loyal friend you will ever have.
I really don’t think we should be judging people when we do not know their true circumstances . My prayers go to the family and the dog (what a little hero ) and to all the other families and animals involved in this natural disaster . May you all soon get back some normality in your lives .
Mason, you are an amazing and loyal dog. God bless your little canine heart and thank you to Dr. Barbara Benhart and her staff for treating little Mason for free.
I am praying for a successful surgery to repair your legs and rooting for your speedy recovery. Thanks for hanging on long enough to make it back to your family little buddy. I know they must be ecstatic to have you back.
Kudos to the vets for doing the surgery pro bono. That’s very commendable of them. What an amazing, miracle dog!
Dianne, I think what it reads is that they brought him to the vets and left him in their care while they wait for a solution to his bone breaks. Home is not the best place to be when one has distal fractures and probably a good case of dehydration. His family wants him–they just need help getting him well.
Thank you Lynette! You have restored (some of ) my faith in humanity!
You’re welcome. It does get kinda shakey these days, doesn’t it?
The best of healing vibes to this amazing dog <3
Family pets are family and if one of my “family” members crawled back home on 2 broken legs to show me how much he loves me and the family, well by God I’d somehow find a way to take care of him and show him how much hes loved. Thats so sad they do not want to be w/ him after what he did! Poor Mason
I am sure some dog lover will snatch him up in a heartbeat though…what a trooper!!!!
I agree with Heather….I would have a Estate sale….a bake sale…a anything to get my Dog care sale!!!! I would beg friends and family for help! What a loyal friend. You go Mason!!! Let me tell you if he is given up for what ever reason I know he will find a Home! What a courageous act…many humans would not make that survival trip with those injuries….Please keep everyone posted about his outcome.
I work where I hear some pretty sorry owner surrender stories (He just got so big), but I also hear some where I see the complete heartache of the owner.
You have NO idea what you would do if you couldn’t even provide a roof for your family and the shelter you may go to only provides a cafeteria type set up w/ dining tables for people only. If the only place you could find shelter was a family member who already had a full house of kids/pets and maybe the entire blend was too much.
In addtion, whatever they decide to do for the breaks in this dogs legs, he is going to need lots of crate rest and regular bandage changes, pain meds regularly and you’ll have to take him out to relieve himself constantly. (I’ve actually fostered an animal w/ two broken front legs). It’s almost a full time job.
These people have to find out where they will live, probably find new jobs or see if their old jobs still exist, can they find a place to stay near the jobs and keep working.
Do you need me to list MORE of the concerns this family probably has. Don’t judge them. Instead try being thankful that this isn’t you and say some prayers for them. They made a heart breaking decision and the one that is probably best for the dog in the long run. If you feel the need to continue judging, be sure to send them a check to rebuild their home so Mason and the family will have a home.
A dog with determination. We hope the vets can find a way to make him better and that one day his family, that he so desperately wanted to get back to, will be able to take him home again.
Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara
I could not get this video to play but what a heart that little dog has! I so hope his owners are able to rebuild their home and open it back up to this courageous little guy.
God bless the vet treating this dog for free
What wonderful people to care for Mason and make sure he gets all the care he needs for no fee! Mason certainly has a lot of love for his family.
Thank Goodness the owners returned while he was there! I hope others continue to go home and look for pets for a long time. We’ve seen in other postings dogs come home years later! Blessings on the Vet for their assistance. Good Wishes to the family that they can get their lives back together and have Mason truly come home!
Bless his little heart! ♥
Wonderful, heartwarming story amidst a turbulent world (literally and figuratively). Great that Mason’s family sought a caring place for him as they deal with their life-altering circumstances.
And people say that dogs don’t have emotions……..
I work for a referral surgery practice in Atlanta area and I am wondering if there is anything that we could do to help Mason get the best outcome possible for his chronic fractures? Please contact me if help is needed in that area…we have 4 surgeons and I do not mind asking them to help out if needed. We see chronic fracture/ non-union cases frequently.
This little dog is a Survivor and my new Hero ! Animals never cease to amaze me and they just don’t know the word can’t. I’m a cancer survivor and I will think of this little dog when I think I can’t do something !
omg this makes me wanna cry! i am so touched… the depth of mason’s loyalty and devotion to his home and family is so amazing. to make that journey on broken legs, i can’t even imagine the ordeal, but this guy wanted to get back to his loved ones and nothing could stop him! i love dogs!
I’m sure this is a very difficult time for the family and this was not an easy decision for them to make. It’s wonderful to have special people to donate their time & talents to help & care for this poor animal. I hope that eventually things can work out and they can all be reunited.
What an amazing little dog.It not possible for him to have bionic legs paid for by donations ? I know there is a bionic vet but I think he is in the UK . I did find him via a google search for bionic vet , amazing stuff he does.This little dog deserves all the help he can get. love dogs
Most of these comments seem more compassionate that some I have read . Please don’t automatically think the owners have deserted their dog. They spent the last 2.5 weeks looking for him. I have seen this scenario before. They were possibly only given 3 choices – 1 – instantly commit to finding, what could be in excess of $20, 000 2 – put Mason to sleep or 3 – sign over Mason to the shelter who had previously been offered the resources to help in such a case as this.
For the love of their dog they signed him over to get the treatment he needs, it must have been heartbreaking for them. there will be no guarantee that he will be returned to them as they will now have to fulfill all the shelters requirments to adopt him back. Could be difficult if the house and yard do not come up to the required standard . The family could be out of their minds with worry and guilt that they could not personally afford the vets bill. Please give them a break and pray that Mason will get back to the family he so obviously loved enough to crawl back to.
What is the breed of Mason? He looks so much like my Sunny girl, dog. He is so wonderful!
What a special precious dog, he doesn’t belong with such uncaring owners.
please do not put Mason to sleep. There are wheel chair for dog who losts mobility in front limbs. I sent you about those websites. I bet after Mason gets his Cardilac (Wheel chair), it’s easier to be adopted. I bet people are willing to help out to buy his Cardilac!!
Sincerely
Praneet