Dog News

Maintenance Worker Saves the Life of Dog Struck by Commuter Train

by Fred

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Train Dog: Charlie - she was hit by a train outside Boston 9/23/16 Courtesy MSPCA-Angell
Train Dog:
Charlie – she was hit by a train outside Boston
9/23/16
Courtesy MSPCA-Angell

 

When a track maintenance worker was doing some work between Forest Hills and Roslindale Village in Massachusetts came upon a dog lying on the tracks motionless, these was no hesitation of action at all.  Regardless of the almost lifeless state of the dog and the fact that a train must have hit her causing terrible injury, the worker scooped her up, rushed her to an emergency animal hospital, and saved her life.

According to Doctor Virginia Sinnott of Angell’s Samaritan Critical Care unit, “It’s just astounding this dog survived.  Her left hind leg was severed above the knee, the good Samaritan brought the leg in along with the dog and the nerves, arteries and veins were severed along with it.  She absolutely would have bled to death within hours had she not been brought in so quickly,” said Dr. Sinnott.

Staff at the hospital has taken to calling her Charlie.  In the very short time that she’s been there, she’s already proven that she is one tough nugget.  She’s undergone a surgery that required not one but two blood transfusions, and has had reconstructive surgeries to repair her severed leg and crushed pelvis.  If you’re reading any of that thinking that there’s absolutely no way that could be cheap, you’re dead on the money (no pun intended).

The surgery and care bills have come to about $6,000.  No one has stepped in as of yet to claim Charlie, and that also means that for now the hospital has been footing the bills to make sure she’s receiving proper care.  The news is not all bad however.  There is a foster home lined up for Charlie if someone never comes forward to claim her, and according to hospital and shelter staff, she’ll be able to stay there until someone adopts her.

If you’d like information on how to adopt Charlie or any of the other dogs available through the MSPCA, send an email to [email protected], or click here to be taken to their website.