A one-year-old dog rescue dog named True is in need of a helping hand -- or two prosthetic paws, to be exact -- after suffering a horrible act of animal cruelty in Ukraine.
“True had an owner who was doing drugs and he was really abusive,” the dog’s new owner, Erin Blaak, told CTV Toronto. “True was digging a hole in his front yard and he… just cut his legs off.”
True was eventually saved from his abusive owner and placed in an outdoor shelter in Ukraine, where he might not have survived the winter. When Blaak saw the dog’s photo posted online by Cause 4 Paws, an organization that helps rescue dogs, she applied to give True a new home and had the dog in Canada just 10 days later.
“I saw his photo and his story and it just really broke my heart,” Blaak said.
And despite the trauma the dog endured, Blaak says True is as happy as can be.
“He just loves all animals, loves all people, loves giving kisses, loves cuddles,” she said. “He loves to play.”
While Blaak and Cause 4 Paws have already saved True’s life, they want to go a step further and outfit the dog with a pair of prosthetics if possible.
They will be holding a fundraising event in Toronto’s Kensington Market neighbourhood on Monday.
For that, they’re getting help from Canadian broadcaster Steve Anthony and his wife Tanya Gomes, who have two rescue dogs of their own.
“Making his life a little better by getting these prosthetics, which is what this is all about, will bring joy to his life that he deserves,” Anthony said.
Their goal is to raise enough money to help other dogs too.
“The more foster families and the more donors we have, the more dogs we can save,” Blaak said.
