Rocky the Border Collie needs his legs fixed

Rocky, a young male Border Collie is in desperate need of multiple surgeries to repair both of his tragically injured back legs. Rocky was either tossed from a moving vehicle or run over by one. Regardless of which way it happened, his injuries are crippling and he will have nothing but a life of severe pain and misery without surgical intervention. Please help Rocky. See his story below for details.

On May 12, 2023, Rocky (named after the fighter) was laying in the blistering heat in a ditch, wet after 2" of recent rain, bleeding and critically injured when my neighbors, Chris and Susie, and I first saw him. His big golden eyes were peeking out above the weeds silently begging us to save his life. His tail was wagging as we approached gently calling to him. It was immediately apparent that he could not stand and walk as his back legs were severely damaged. Poor baby was just skin and bones with matted wet hair further tangled by hundreds of cockleburrs. In our fury to scoop him up and get him to a vet asap we didn't think to take a picture of this crippled beauty. His immediate needs were our only concern.

How did he get here? Did a heartless person abuse him so badly that they crippled him and then tossed him from a moving car? Did someone know my neighbors and I both have Border Collies and dump this handsome guy hoping we would find him? Did he run away chasing the scent of a female or scared during a thunderstorm? Did his previous owners starve him or has he been on his own so long that he became skin and bones unable to fend for himself? Was he just walking down the road and was run over by a car that did not stop to render aid? His history will never be known, we can only surmise how he made his way injured to the ditch by our mailboxes.

I immediately took him to my vet where he was x-rayed and examined. At this point, he could not even stand on his own. X-rays showed a dislocated hip with torn ACL on one side and a completely torn ACL on the other side, possible slight vertebrae and pelvic fractures plus many road rash abrasions on his body. The vet wasn't hopeful at this point but wanted to try so I left him in the care of the clinic. He was given food, water and steroids. The vet called me the next day and stated that Rocky was unable to stand and walk on the tile floor but was shocked he could stand and take some tentative steps in the grass. He was also extremely underweight. The vet suggested he remain at the clinic for a few days to monitor his condition and hopeful progress. He was 32 pounds while a normal weight for a Border Collie with his frame size should have been 52 pounds.

Rocky appears to be 2-3 years old. He needs the use of his legs to be able to enjoy life, to run and to play as he has a lot of years ahead of him to live. It is recommended that he get 2 surgeries. First and most critical is scheduled for Tuesday, May 30th. It will be a Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO) to correct his dislocated hip injury. The expected cost is $950 to $1150. Depending on how the surgery goes, the vet may neuter him at this time also, which would increase the cost some. Recovery will be long, with 6 to 8 weeks of confinement and leash walks. Once recovered from the FHO he will need to have an Extracapsular Lateral Suture Stabilisation (ELSS) to repair the torn ACL on the other side. The expected cost of the ELSS is approximately $1400 with another 6 to 8-week recovery period. Rocky will definitely need a Starbucks pupcup or 2 after being confined for 3 to 4 months straight.

Rocky is currently being fostered at my home and will remain so throughout his recovery. He will be put up for adoption to a forever family once he has fully recovered. Several families have already expressed interest in submitting an adoption application. All rescues are special in their own way; however, some are a bit more. That is Rocky, he is just so trusting; he knows he can count on us to fix him. I or my neighbors would adopt him in a heartbeat but we all have rescues of our own that will not tolerate another male being added to the family.

Donated funds will be used for his medical bills, recovery care, his own BullyBed Orthopedic bed (he is currently borrowing one from my other rescue) and some professional training to help him be a happy and respectful dog. Poor thing has no concept of any basic commands, no clue what to do with a dog toy or bone and no idea what a leash is. It is like he has never lived a normal "dog" day in his life. But surprisingly he is the most loving, patient and trusting dog despite his painful horrible injuries.

Many rescues and shelters have been contacted asking for help with Rocky's surgical needs. All have responded that they are overwhelmed at the moment with hundreds of Covid animals being returned and/or dumped. Both neighbors and I have several rescues each of our own that we saved, spent hundreds or thousands on and welcomed into our families. Sadly we cannot take on Rocky's surgical needs and are doing everything we can to save his life by fixing him so that he can have a great life, a life he deserves. Which is why we have decided to seek outside help from you. Rocky says please help me walk again.

Any funds remaining after his complete recovery will be donated to a rescue group to help other animals in need. Copies of all receipts and vet reports will be posted, as well as, pictures and progress updates. We thank you for your interest in helping Rocky regain the use of his legs again and for any donation you make. Any amount will make a difference, especially to Rocky. He has the sweetest personality and is the best patient ever.

Thank you for your interest and support in helping Rocky get his legs repaired. Please pass this plea on to your animal-loving friends and family and stay tuned for further updates.

On another note, my neighbor and co-rescuer, Susie, an award-winning author, wrote Rocky's tragic story from his perspective. Please continue reading if you would like to hear it straight from Rocky's point of view.

With sincere appreciation,

Kelley Cantrell, Susie and David Nickson and Chris Ellsworth

Hi! My name is Rocky. At least, that’s what the nice lady who found me calls me. I had another name, but it’s not important now. When the car ran over me my brain was kind of scrambled and I forgot it anyway. I’m better now, though. I’m a young male Border Collie. They call me “sweet” and “handsome” and they tell me I have “gorgeous eyes.”

I just know they are treating me well. I’m being fed four times a day, which is great because I am skinny and very hungry. I was given an orthopedic bed, and I’m kept in a small enclosure inside so I don’t hurt myself and nice lady even bought some floor mats that is can stand on. She carries me around alot also since it is so hard for me to walk. You see, when the car ran over me, my hip popped out of the socket and my other hind leg got all torn up. The injury, it’s a funny word…ACL, I think.

Anyway, I’ve seen three vets so far; I was given a bunch of shots and tested for heartworms, which I do not have. Thank goodness, worms, yuck! The other people, they didn't care about me enough to put a chip thing in me, which is ok because I don't want to go back there anyway. I put up with the poking and prodding, even the scary X-ray machine without being knocked out, but now they say I need surgeries. Two of them. There’s a surgery to fix my hip and one to repair my torn ACL, and um, they’re going take my manhood during one of those surgeries. I’m excited about the surgeries. They say I will be pain-free and can walk again when I recover. The manhood thing, well, I wish they’d reconsider.

But, if it means that I get to stay with the nice lady and make friends with her other three dogs then I guess it’s okay. I really want my legs to work again because, well, besides the fact that I hurt all the time and only take a few steps at a time, nice lady lives on some open land, and she has livestock and chickens. The Border Collie in me wants to run and play and jump and investigate. Lying around all day is pretty boring.

Nice lady and her friends wonder what happened to me. I’d rather they didn’t know because it would make them sad. I just know I’m in a great place now with people who care about me. All of the vets so far have said I would have a good “quality of life” after the surgeries and then talked to the ladies about cost. Can you help nice lady and her neighbors get me fixed up? I want the chance to use my legs and be like other dogs!

Please help Rocky. He was found, starved, dehydrated, and unable to stand at a country crossroads near us. So far, three neighbors, all with rescue dogs of their own, have shared the vet bills. My neighbor (nice lady) is fostering, and is willing to take Rocky on, but the surgical cost is an issue. Although the three of us will pay for the vet expenses prior to the surgeries, we are tapped out from our other rescues. Donations will cover the surgeries and recovery expenses Rocky needs, and any remaining funds will be passed on to a dog rescue group. If you can spare some money for a dog who shows every sign of being a kind, loving companion, please give him a fighting chance. He’s been named Rocky for a reason!