Penticton family thanks dog-lovers for help caring for dog with two broken legs

PENTICTON – A South Okanagan family is grateful for help received in saving their young pup after it broke both elbows last week.

Kristy Russell started a Gofundme page for her neighbour, 15-year-old Austin Zenger, to help raise money for surgery after Zenger’s five-month-old puppy broke both elbows while playing with the family’s other dog last week.

Russell says the family was able to pay for the surgery, thanks to the generous contributions to the page. The Zengers also sold some possessions to raise the nearly $8,000 needed for the surgery.

“The surgery went well, Champ returned home on the weekend,” Russell says. “Austin is so happy. He’s setting his watch to notify him when to give Champ his meds. People have been so amazing. Without the support he would have lost his best friend,” she says.

Russell says Champ will need another six to eight weeks in the kennel to recover and he’ll be back to the specialist, but he’s on the mend and acting as much like a puppy as he can under his present condition.

“The family has been through so much. Austin is the happiest kid on earth," she says, adding she has since closed the Gofundme page.

"Thanks everyone for your kindness and support. There are such good people in the world,” Russell says.

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