A Cranbrook woman is asking for help after her dog was severely injured during a hit-and-run near the community forest during a walk on Boxing Day last week.
Amber Watson and her partner were walking their pup, Sofiya, in the northern section of the Cranbrook Community Forest when the dog got off her leash and was struck by a small car.
Watson said the car didn’t stop, as Sofiya ended up in the ditch beside the road.
“The impact, to me, sounded like gun fire, and echoed through the sky,” said Watson, in an email to the Townsman. “It was the most heart wrenching sound I’ve ever heard in my entire life.”
Watson took Sofiya to a local veterinarian clinic, with injuries that included severe lung trauma and internal abrasions.
After a few days of treatment, Sofiya was allowed to return home, however, medical complications soon forced an immediate return to the veterinarian, as lung complications caused air to leak into the chest cavity, according to Watson.
Told there was nothing more that could be done locally, Watson said she packed up Sofiya and headed to a specialized veterinary hospital in Calgary.
However, the cost of care and medical treatment is expected to reach $6,000.
Watson has created a GoFundMe campaign to help with expenses, which has already raised over $2,000.
“I do not want sympathy for myself,” Watson wrote. “This is about Sofiya. She does not deserve to die.
“She is the most friendliest, loveliest dog you will ever meet. She thinks every person is her long lost friend. She deserves to a have a full, long happy life, and in order to do this, she needs to have this treatment.”
Since arriving in Calgary, Sofiya has taken steps forward in her recovery, as veterinarians say she is no longer anaemic and has regained her appetite, according to updates on the GoFundMe page. However, surgery may still be a possibility, depending on her recovery.
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