You see it all the time – drivers in pickup trucks heading down the road on a nice day with open windows and their beloved dog riding along in the bed of the truck, completely unprotected. But pets riding in the back of pickup trucks can be deadly. It’s estimated that 100,000 dogs die each year riding in the back of pickup trucks by flying out after an accident, falling out accidently or sliding out the back of an open tailgate.
Oscar, an 11-month-old Doberman puppy living in Asheville, NC, was brought to the Buncombe County Animal Shelter in bad shape, and his owners couldn’t afford veterinary care for him. This sweet boy’s injuries were caused when he was thrown from the back of a moving truck that was going 55 miles per hour down a county road.
His leg was swollen four times the size of his other three legs and, even though he was in horrible pain, Oscar didn’t bite, snap or even growl when he was transported to a local animal hospital for emergency evaluation and pain management.
Veterinarians found that Oscar’s injuries were far more serious than originally thought – his femur was not just broken but it was completely shattered in several places. Due to Oscar’s young age, and the severe damage to his leg, veterinarians decided that amputating Oscar’s leg was the best option for helping him have a long and happy, pain-free life. It still wasn’t smooth sailing when the surgery started since Oscar suffered a complication during the procedure and had to have a blood transfusion.
After his surgery, Oscar recuperated in a foster home but was soon moved to Asheville Humane Society’s Adoption Center, ready to be adopted by a new family.
Gene and Nancy Cottrell heard the story of Oscar and knew they wanted to give him a forever home — a home that included two other Dobermans to keep Oscar company. Doberman’s have been a special part of the Cottrell family for more than 30 years and the couple joked that the dogs have THEM well trained! Recently retired, the couple had already opened their home to two other Doberman rescues, Kode and Tess and was excited to add a third to their pack. With 34 acres of land adjoining a national forest, the Cottrell’s home affords Oscar and his brother and sister miles of interesting trails and gravel roads for walking, jumping and sniffing!
“Rest assured, Oscar’s pickup truck days are over,” said Gene. “We even have a Honda minivan which we call our ‘Dobemobile!”
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Asheville Humane Society is a private, non-profit 501`(c)3 organization in Asheville, North Carolina that rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes more than 4,500 animals each year. They are dedicated to promoting compassionate treatment of animals in the community through education, sheltering and adoption.
Their organization consists of both the Buncombe County Animal Shelter and the Asheville Humane Society Adoption and Education Center, along with a network of foster homes. They are the only open admission shelter in the county and never euthanize because of space issues.
