JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A dog local veterinarians believe may have been hit by a car and dragged is fighting for her life at the Jacksonville Humane Society.
The Humane Society sees cases like this often, but the treatment is very costly.
"Her ears remind us very much of a kangaroo, so that's where (the name) Roo came from," said Denise Deisler, executive director of the Jacksonville Humane Society.
If Roo's calm disposition and big brown eyes don't melt your heart, her story will.
"Based on her injuries it appears to be hit by a car (and) may have been drug under that car," Deisler said. "That might explain some of the wounds that we're seeing. That was just an educated guess. We don't know for certain."
A good Samaritan found Roo on the side of the road in the Englewood area last week and brought her to the Jacksonville Humane Society. But her road to recovery will be a long one.
"Three out of four of her paws had been -- the skin and the tissue underneath had been torn off -- so we're just left with seeing all of her bones," Humane Society veterinarian Katie Green said.
Just by looking at Roo, you'd never tell she's in pain.
"She's smiling and her ears are up," Deisler said. "She looks happy, but her injuries are pretty severe."
Depending on how Roo recovers, the veterinarian may have to amputate some of her toes and at least one paw. The ongoing treatment could cost as much as $10,000, but the shelter's staff said they are doing everything they can to get Roo healthy again.
"It's always heart-breaking to see any animal suffering, but our staff always kicks it into fix-it gear and can't focus on what our feelings are," Deisler said. "We have to get busy and get to work on what Roo needs, and our staff did that."
Despite many wounds that still need to heal, the shelter's staff expects Roo to make it through recovery and eventually find a forever home.
"She's still got a long, tough road in front of her," Deisler said. "We can talk to folks about adoption, but it'll be quite a while before she's out of the woods and we would be comfortable allowing her to go home for ongoing care."
You can help Roo by donating to the Humane Society at jaxhumane.org/donate and choosing "Medical Fund." Donations can also be made by phone at 904-493-4566.
