Bellas Amputation Surgery & Prosthetic Leg




In early March of 2019 I decided to rescue Bella from Miami Dade Animal Shelter. When I initially had met her she was a timid, yet gentle bundle of joy and also walked with a limp. Throughout many pre-adoption interviews with Bella I was assured that her leg was healing and that she would be better soon. On the final adoption day I was then told that she would require extensive surgery for her leg. Being so in love with Bella, I decided to take her home anyway as she was just everything that I ever wanted in a "mans best friend".  As pain medication wore off from the shelter, Bella then became very lethargic and very visibly in pain. A complete 180 from the happy dog that I know she really is. 


After consulting many different orthopedic veterinarians we had discovered that Bella endured some form of severe physical trauma to her front left leg. Before Bella was admitted into the shelter, she was a a dog that was used for breeding and has had multiple liters of puppies that she will never see again. Given the scars all around her body, face and leg; it is very possible that she was also physically abused which may have resulted in her leg being broken or  that she was hit by a vehicle. Her left leg, as a result of being broken along with healing improperly now cannot bend whatsoever. Although Bella is just 2 years old, her X-Rays show the leg of a 15 year old dog with an extreme case of arthritis.


After many conversations with different orthopedic surgeons. We ultimately decided that Amputation would be the best option for Bella. There is a significant risk of failure present with other methods(due to the nature of her injury) of helping Bella and this was a very difficult decision to make. Without having to put Bella at risk for future correctional surgeries or fractures, getting rid of the leg that is holding her back from being happy is the best decision. Without this surgery she will continue to be in pain, be reluctant to eat, not learn to play with dogs or toys and never experience life to the fullest. 




Despite the pain. She rarely has these glimpses of what she -could- be all the time if the pain of her leg was never the case. She can be the biggest goofball! They're a lot of things she hasn't done in life and in her new home there are a lot of "Firsts". She has never played with toys before (although we are making small progress with this one) and for some reason is terrified of balls.(Working on this one too) My hope is that after she recovers, she can learn to be a "normal" dog for the first time ever. I can't imagine how her life was before...all I know is that I want to give her the life she should have had since she was a baby. Full of love, treats and walks - and without the terrible abuse she's endured. 


The entirety of the funds raised through this GoFundMe for Bella will go directly to her amputation surgery as-well as her prosthetic leg. I will be sure to keep constant updates as to her condition and operation date. 



We humbly ask for your help, even if it's by sharing Bella's story. Thank you for all of your attention and support.