On October 6, South Salt Lake Animal Services officers responded to a call from a nearby construction site about a stray dog hiding beneath a work truck. When officers arrived, they found the dog in critical condition, with a severely injured leg, infested with lice, and in a state of shock. She was transported to urgent care, where veterinarians performed a partial amputation of her leg.
Following surgery, the South Salt Lake Animal Services team shared the story of this dog, who they named Poly, putting out a call for donations to help offset the extensive medical costs. The community response was heartwarming. Within hours, we recieved enough donations to completely cover the cost of surgery, and then some.
After her surgery, Poly went on ABC4's Pet of the Week segment where our Animal Services staff were able to thank our supporters for their incredible generosity.
Poly lived at the South Salt Lake Animal Shelter for several weeks after her surgery, stealing the hearts of our shelter staff with her gentle nature while receiving daily lice baths, bandage changes, and extra care as she recovered from her injuries. Once she was stable enough, she was transferred to All Paws Count Animal Rescue to continue her healing journey. The leftover donations we received were donated to All Paws Count to help pay for care and supplies while Poly was in foster care healing.
A Second Miracle
Not long after Poly went to All Paws Count, they reached out to our shelter staff to share a happy surprise: Poly had been pregnant and is now a mother to six. Through her rescue, surgery and recovery, her pregnancy went unoticed.
It really was a second miracle for Poly--living through extensive leg wounds and making a full recovery post amputation, and then after all of that giving birth to six healthy puppies!
Poly is a powerful reminder of perseverance and the will to survive. She has proved to be a wonderful mother, and our Animal Services staff feel lucky for the time they were able to spend with her. We are so happy that Poly will get to spend the rest of her life in a loving, nurturing home!
