Special Needs Dog Is Rescued from Neglectful Family and Adopted By Foster Mom

Bella may be a little dog, but she is absolutely MASSIVE when it comes to spirit.  She had been living with a neglectful family that somehow allowed her to break her elbows multiple times.  Her vets tried to rescue her, and were finally successful.  Flash foreword to today, and Bella is a happy, healthy, and VERY LOVED little nugget, and we can’t get enough of her!

Here’s her full story, shared by PAWSitive:

According to Gwenn of Pug Nation, Bella looks like she’s part penguin, part seal and part Pug but in truth she’s all dog and just wants hugs and kisses.  Bella didn’t always look this way. She was likely born from breeding.  Bella had a family but they had difficulty caring for her.

When Bella first broke her elbow her family took her to the veterinarian who was able to fix it.  He told the family to keep her confined, keeping the pressure/weight off that limb.  For whatever reason, they didn’t follow these instructions and she re-broke the elbow.  At some point, Bella’s other elbow became broken and the veterinarian decided to keep her at the hospital.  The hope was to keep her confined so she could heal properly.

Upon further assessment, the veterinarians realized both elbows were irreparably damaged.  The only solution was double amputation.  The rehabilitation, the care and the cost were beyond this family’s capability.

They did not give their consent nor would they relinquish Bella to the hospital.  For 9 long months, Bella resided at the hospital.  It is unclear what her condition was like during those 9 months but the veterinarians themselves were at an impasse.  Without the consent of the family, the veterinarians could not perform additional medical procedures.

Finally, a volunteer at Pug Nation took notice of Bella and inquired.  The inquiries lead to the revelation of her story and immediate action.  The veterinarians were able to convince the family to relinquish her to the hospital and then the hospital to the animal rescue.

Bella is now 6 years old. Pug Nation was able to find a loving foster/adopter for Bella almost immediately. Wendy considers Bella’s welfare her top priority.  Amazingly, after everything Bella has been through, she is incredibly sweet and has no idea that she is special needs: she barks at passing cars, begs for treats, asks for cuddles and loves going on walks – albeit she only walks with two legs instead of four.

She does not let two broken elbows set her back. She is fast – whether she is waddling like a seal or running on two legs.  Since filming this story in September, Bella has had her double amputation surgery and is now free from pain. She is doing well.  She is still with Wendy who loves her unconditionally.