Community steps up to help injured puppy

[bigdoglover]

Sun Herald

NORTH PORT -- After days of helping a battered dog, Scott and Valerie Ehrenfeld finally learned its name.

"He is Junebug, which is short for Junior," said Valerie of the 45-pound, pitbull-mix puppy her husband, Scott, found on the corner of Price Boulevard and Atwater Drive one week ago.

Junebug and his littermate were run over on Thursday morning and left behind. The female didn't make it but Junebug did.

Hairless with a hole in his head, a broken leg and infected paws, Junebug was taken to Lemon Bay Animal Hospital in Englewood. He was placed in a temporary cast. The couple was given an estimate of about $700 for the surgery that had to be done to save the dog's leg.

The couple asked the community for help to pay for the surgery and other medical costs associated with fixing the dog's infected paws and treating his skin condition.

"People have been very helpful," said Valerie. "People are calling Scott and offering to help. We can't thank these people enough. We have a lot of college debt, but we could not let this dog suffer."

The couple dropped off the puppy at Lemon Bay Animal Hospital on Wednesday.

"They told us he needed X-rays and a bath," Valerie said. "Then they are going to do the surgery by Friday."

Scott, who was upset with the dog's owner, learned she lives nearby and visited her.

"At first things were a little shaky between the two," Valerie said. "But Scott found out the dog's name and that he's very friendly. He never growls and is good around children. By the time Scott left, he asked (the owner) to get in touch with him if she needed anything. He told her to take care of her other dogs."

According to Scott, the two dogs had gotten out of the fence at the woman's home during Tropical Storm Ernesto. They traveled about one mile before they were both hit by vehicles.

North Port Animal Control Officer Win Sell said the owner was unable to care for Junebug and has signed paperwork to give up custody of the dog.

The Ehrenfelds are caring for Junebug. They are hoping a relative will adopt the dog so it can stay in the family.