photo/Andrew Sullivan

By Fallan Patterson

When Oscar the Chihuahua was born with deformed front legs five weeks ago, his original owners took him to Osceola County Animal Control in St. Cloud to be euthanized.

Kennel attendant Jessica Buffington took the then palm-sized puppy to the back room and realized the only disability the dog had was physical.

“Originally when they came in like that, off the street, we’d have to put it down,” Buffington said. “I just couldn’t put him (Oscar) down.”

Determined to save the dog, Buffington conferred with veterinary technician Vickie Dryer about the pup’s survivability.

To Dryer, who has an 8-year-old Chihuahua named Billy Bob who also only has use of his back legs, the answer was a resounding yes.

“It’s very difficult for us because we don’t have the funding or equipment to handle their disabilities,” she said. “They (the original owners) actually paid to have him euthanized but we have a heart.”

After getting a clean bill of health by the contracted veterinarian, Oscar – who was named after Australian double amputee Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius, who competed in the London 2012 games – was adopted by Animal Control clerk Carrie Hardy.

“He didn’t ask to be born or to be put down,” Hardy said. “You can’t just let him outside to go pee with the rest of the dogs but he’s got fight in him.”

Oscar doesn’t seem to realize he’s different, bounding around on the deformed front legs that each have one claw. He enjoys being held on his back, often falling asleep in the crook of Hardy’s arm or her hand. He nips at fingers and noses, a habit Hardy is trying to break him of.

Oscar is still on a special formula, which costs $50 a can, but Hardy hopes to transition him to puppy chow soon.

Hardy knows the formula cost is just the beginning for Oscar, who may need to learn to get around on his hind legs with the use of a specialized doggy cart and could need adaptive surgery to remove extra tissue that the vet thinks could hinder blood supply to his deformed extremities and stunt growth.

“That’s all something you take as it comes. Everything I’ve done so far has come out of my pocket,” Hardy said. “All you can do is see how it goes.”

Oscar is the second disabled puppy the shelter saved from euthanasia this year.

Mandy, a Boston Terrier/Pekinese mix, was brought into the shelter by a couple who said they found the puppy, also born without the use of her front legs, on the street.

“You feel sorry for them. You want to help them to have same life as a normal dog,” Buffington said.

Mandy was adopted by St. Cloud resident Bonnie Duncan.

"She has been such a joy and a blessing. She is just so happy. She just makes the whole atmosphere of our home just a better place to live," Duncan said.

Animal Control has other disabled animals up for adoption including a one-eyed cat and two blind dogs but Dryer said staff is particular about who they let adopt disabled animals because of the added care they require.

“We’re so careful about who adopts dogs like (Oscar and Mandy) because it can be more costly,” Dryer said, adding the cart her dog uses for mobility can cost $400. “It takes special people to realize the lifelong commitment.”

Animal Control staffers said they understood the stigma that surrounds their work, knowing many people think they euthanize animals at will. However, the reason many private, non-profit shelters can claim to be no-kill because they aren’t required to accept any animal that comes to their door.

“We can’t turn away anything. We’re the only entity for people to drop animals off,” Dryer said, adding the shelter often has a line of people looking to relinquish animals for a variety of reasons. “Our euthanasia numbers are up because we’re the only (shelter in the county) and we have to take in sick and aggressive animals.”

Upward of 8,000 animals a year, from domestic animals like dogs, guinea pigs and hamsters to livestock and even exotics like bearded dragons, prairie dogs and buffalo, are turned into Osceola County Animal Control.

Most recently, the shelter acquired a young pot-bellied pig with a skin condition that is being treated.

Between 35 to 65 animals, mostly dogs and cats, are adopted each week, Samantha Fagnant, veterinary technician, said.

The staff also works with animal rescue groups that specialize in finding families for specific breeds.

“There’s a lot of good here,” Dryer said.

Families looking to adopt a pet can often find what they are looking for at the Animal Control shelter as desirable animals such as puppies and kittens are available for adoption as are pure bred dogs.

On a recent visit, the shelter had pure bred poodles, Labrador retrievers and Jack Russell terriers available for adoption.

“When you adopt an animal from the pound, they know you’ve saved them,” Dryer said, who, along with Fagnant, runs the Critter Resource, shelter’s free animal education program that visits schools and other children groups to stress the importance responsible pet ownership and dog safety.

The Osceola County Animal Control Shelter, 3910 Old Canoe Creek Road, is open Monday, from noon to 5 p.m.; Tuesday to Friday, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Saturday, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

There is a searchable database of adoptable animals on the shelter’s website at www.osceola.org/animalcontrol/home.cfm. For more information, call 407-742-8000.