Hero Sheriff Saves Injured Dog
Please donate at apnm.org/support for "Gypsy's" veterinary care

"Gypsy" was rescued by Lea County Sheriff Rod Coffman over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend after being hit by a car.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, APNM staff received a call from Lea County Sheriff, Rod Coffman, who was at the scene of a dog who had been hit by a car. Sheriff Coffman and his wife, Christie, immediately jumped into action, securing life-saving medical care for the injured dog at their own personal expense.

Here is the Sheriff’s account of the emergency:

"On Wednesday, I drove up on a two-year-old pit bull who had just been hit by a vehicle on Grimes at Millen. The driver and another woman had already stopped to assist the dog, who I initially thought was dead. She had obviously just given birth to a large litter of puppies within the previous couple of weeks. I was on-duty at the time. She seemed to have a broken front leg and we feared, possibly a broken back.

I contacted Dr. Kuitu in Hobbs and asked if he would assess the dog and treat her if possible. He checked her out and found that she had hookworms, tapeworms, and an intestinal infection. Additionally, she was badly anemic and had a shattered right front leg, broken in two places. She had no other broken bones, only bruising and abrasions. He gave her antibiotics, pain medication and treated her for the worms and attempted to “set” her leg. Unfortunately, he called this morning and said that the leg was too badly damaged and he would have to amputate her leg to ensure her full recovery. He said that she would do fine without her leg and will adapt quickly. He said that she would recover fully from all of her other ailments and injuries.

This dog obviously has a strong will to live. We continued to attempt to locate the owner and puppies, but have had no success.

Here's my request: Can you please help me find her a permanent home? I've never seen a dog with a sweeter disposition. She never once winced, whined, or cried during the entire time we were trying to work with her, comfort her and move her. She never snarled, growled or snapped when checking her injuries. She will be an excellent, loving dog that will need some TLC. She is brindle colored, with a white face and weighs 68 lbs. I'm going to see her in a little while.  I can use all the help I can get for her care."

New Mexico is fortunate to have compassionate law enforcement officers who want to protect all members of our community. Please help us defray the expense of helping take care of this courageous dog by making a contribution toward her veterinary care. When you include “Gypsy” in the tribute section of our online donation page, apnm.org/support, APNM will make sure your donation will be earmarked for "Gypsy's" veterinary costs, which exceed $3,000.

If you are interested in providing a home for "Gypsy," please contact the Hobbs Animal Adoption Center/Lea County Humane Society, at 575-397-9323 (they are closed Sunday and Monday, and open on Saturdays until noon). She will be available within two weeks for adoption to a forever home.

Thank you,
 
Heather Ferguson
Cruelty Campaigns Director
Animal Protection of New Mexico

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