Happy the wonder dog has not only made a remarkable recovery from serious injuries, he’s set to appear as Mr. December in the 2019 Humane Society Calendar.
His owner, Emmy Stuebing, is over the moon about Happy’s progress since her small white rescue dog was found badly injured after being missing for more than six weeks in Red Deer in the summer of 2017.
After bolting from the Bower home of Stuebing’s parents in August, Happy proved to be quite the escape artist. It took a community effort to find the dog cowering miserably under a Michener Hill shed.
A veterinarian concluded the pooch had probably been hit by a car while on the lam — and his injuries were many, including a fractured pelvis and broken femur.
Thanks to a GoFundMe campaign and personal donations, more than $10,000 came in to help pay for Happy’s vet bills, and the dog was discharged from the animal hospital a year ago this week.
Stuebing remains grateful for the “flood of support” that came in from friends, family, neighbours and concerned citizens.
She noticed during the early weeks of his recovery, Happy wasn’t using his injured leg. “It just hung there … and he often peed on it!”
But with exercise and growing strength, he started using the leg again after about six weeks, and “it’s working great now.”
Stuebing’s thrilled to say that Happy is doing “amazingly well … he can now run and sit and even jump.”
He can go on nearly “endless” walks, play with his toys, and make six or more rounds of the dog park, where he now lives with Stuebing in Edmonton.
“I believe the wonderful support of so many people really helped with his recovery and I will be forever humbled and grateful for so much kindness,” said Stuebing, a Red Deer native, who wanted to give supporters an update on Happy’s progress.
The icing on the cake is that her scrappy pup gets to be Mr. December in the upcoming Central Alberta Humane Society Calendar.
“Stay tuned to watch for him there,” said Stuebing.
