Nishi's story, as told by his first "angel..."

I live on a busy State highway about seven miles north of a small town in central Illinois. On November 3^rd I was at home when there was a knock, knock, knocking on my door. I opened it to find two of my neighbors, an older retired gentleman and a young girl who works for a local vet, on my front porch.  Gene said he had a dog that had been hit by a car in his yard, and he didn't know what to do.  Charity said it was pretty bad and that at least one of his legs was broken, but he was a pretty Malamute or Husky.  They wanted to know what their options were. I said they could shoot him, call the animal warden who would likely euthanize him if no owner was identified, or they could take him to a vet and fix him.  Gene said he didn't like any of those options, and Charity said I had to come help the dog <sigh>. 

 I told them to go sit with the dog and that I would be over shortly.  I called my contact, Ruth, at the local animal shelter, Jefferson County Animal Control, with whom I have a good working relationship.  I told Ruth of my dilemma, and asked if there were any missing Huskies or Malamutes in my area.   She said that about two weeks before, one had been reported missing from the area two miles north of me. However, the phone number I was given as a contact was about 25 miles north-east of me.   

 I called the number, and the owner's father answered.  He said his son was in training as an over-the-road truck driver and had no money and no time for an injured dog and to just shoot it.  He refused to contact his son and refused to come to the animal shelter to sign any release papers for the dog.  I called Ruth back with the updated information and told her to send a truck out for the dog and that I would give the dog pain meds to at least get him by.  

 I grabbed some Bute, a bowl of water, and some fresh deer bratwurst and walked across the highway.  There was a beautiful black and silver Husky lying on his side, who started wagging his tail when he saw me and trying to stand up. He had two badly broken legs.   I held the deer meat in my open hand and he gently took it one bite at a time and then drank the water I had brought.....my heart was breaking for this gentle soul - if he had only gobbled or snapped at my hands, this story could have ended so differently. 

 Gene said that at least A WEEK PRIOR to this day, he had come home to find a note on his front porch that said "I saw your dog hit by a car in front of your house, it looked like a husky or a sled dog and it went into the woods south of the house." At the time, Gene didn't think much of the note because he didn't know of any dogs of that description in the area. 

 As I sat there, stroking this lovely boy, wondering how he could have lived for a week with two broken legs, I noticed that his back leg was an open break coming through the skin on his inner thigh.  And all he could do was snuggle into me as I sat with him waiting for the animal warden and knowing that certain death was a short time away. I thought I could give it a shot on finding a rescue to take this boy in. I told Charity to watch the dog as I was going to get more food and my camera. He tried to follow me on his two good legs, and Charity had to hold him to keep him from hobbling after me. 

 I came back, with tears running down my face, more deer meat and the camera.  The animal warden arrived and I gave him more pain meds for the rest of the night. Unfortunately they do not have medications on hand for animals, and it would have been another day at least until a vet could have seen him.  I told the warden not to do anything to the dog until I had the evening to try to make some calls.  Within 15 minutes of the animal warden leaving with this boy, I had emailed several people and RECEIVED A RESPONSE from Lois of Adopt Husky - she was willing to take this boy on - Yippee!

 I called Ruth at the animal shelter, told her life was good and to hold onto that boy for me!  Ruth got the final release via the telephone from the owner's father.  Again he wanted nothing to do with a dog, especially a broken dog who would come with many expenses.

 I picked him up the next morning from the shelter. He had refused to eat all night even though he had tempting food nearby.  When he saw me, he wagged his tail and tried to stand.  I picked him up and carried him to my van, giving him more pain meds.  A short time after we got home, he was feeling more secure and ready to give life another fighting chance.  He ate everything I put before him, and I spent a lot of time by his side waiting for the predawn hours of Saturday and the first leg of his transport to the North where a veterinarian was on stand-by to fix this amazing boy.”  

Thirty-six hours and 330 miles after the first email arrived, alerting Adopt A Husky to his plight, he was safely in the care of Dr. Bohdan Rudawski at Fox Lake (IL) Animal Hospital undergoing the critically-needed surgery!

 Nishi (“two” in Lenape [Delaware tribe] for his two broken legs), owes his life to the combined efforts of his “angels” in central Illinois (Liz, Gene, Charity, and Ruth) and the quick response once again of AAHI volunteers, Rick Camp and John and Rita Simpkins, who joined forces with Liz in the relay transport.

 Nishi has spent 3 ½ weeks in the hospital, undergoing three separate surgeries on his front leg which was damaged almost beyond saving. But saved it was, and the prognosis is that he will have a full recovery with the only visual result a left front leg potentially slightly shorter than its matching one on the right. Nishi now moves to the foster care of AAHI volunteers, Phyllis and Paul, as he continues to recuperate.  He remains sweet and loving throughout it all, a tribute to the resilience and trusting nature of the Siberian Husky.

 Watch for updates and new photos as Nishi continues his rehab!