SAN ANTONIO – Now as perky as his perfectly cropped ears, just days earlier, a young boxer mix suffered two broken legs, apparently after being hit by car. He was then tossed into a trash dumpster.
“We just happened to have a Good Samaritan walk by at the right time, who was willing to get dirty,” said Dr. Michael Ruiz, a veterinarian at the St. Francis of Assisi Veterinary Medical Center in the 8600 block of Potranco Road.
Ruiz said one of their clients was walking his two little dogs last Monday when they alerted him there was something in a dumpster.
“It was our friend here, at the bottom,” Ruiz said.
He said it took some digging, but the man was able to reach the pup now named after a certain Muppet with an affinity for trash dumpsters, Oscar.
“Certainly not a grouch, but where he was found, we felt the name was appropriate,” Ruiz said.
He said the Good Samaritan quickly brought him to the clinic where Oscar was put on pain medication and antibiotics.
The clinic also is raising funds on its Facebook page for Oscar’s surgery next week by an orthopedic surgeon.
Ruiz said even if they’re only able to collect half of the needed $2,500-$3,500, the fundraising will continue after the surgery.
“At this point, euthanasia is really not on the table. He’s a sweet dog. He’s a happy dog.” Ruiz said. “He would be easily adoptable.”
Being as young as he is, Ruiz said Oscar won’t skip a beat after he regains the use of his right legs.
“It’s 100 percent fixable,” he said.
He said thankfully, Oscar had no other serious injuries.
“Chest cavity, abdominal cavity, everything is intact,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz said, as it is, “he’s got such a bright disposition. His tail wags 20 miles a minute!”
After seeing Oscar’s face and learning his story, Ruiz said the social media response has been very positive.
He said it was obvious Oscar belonged to someone, but without a microchip it will be hard to prove.
Ruiz said it’s impossible to speculate how Oscar sustained his injuries or why someone would throw him away.
Had it not been for the Good Samaritan, Ruiz said, Oscar would not have survived the trash dumpster being emptied into a garbage truck.
As he put his stethoscope to Oscar’s chest, Ruiz said, “You’re a sweetheart. He’s got a happy, healthy heart, definitely full of love.”