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| Journey not finished for canine amputee |
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| Written by James Leonard / Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 30 July 2008 | |
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A three-legged dog named Patterson who won the hearts of his temporary keepers is off on a new adventure. For more than five weeks, the German shorthaired pointer lived in Newman’s Westside Animal Hospital after having undergone an emergency life-saving leg amputation there. On Saturday, Patterson was handed over by veterinarian Suzanne Solvin — who saved the dog’s life that night and has struggled since then to find him a new home — to a NorCal German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue foster family in Kenwood, near Santa Rosa, that will provide the dog a home until a permanent one is found. It wasn’t the storybook ending Solvin had wanted for Patterson, but she’s confident things will work out for him. “They’re very dedicated people,” Solvin said of the rescue program. “They screen potential adoptive homes very carefully. I’m sure he’ll be well cared for.” The story began June 18, when Patterson firefighter Mike McLaughlin Jr. was driving in his pickup after battling a house and barn fire on Loquat Avenue. The dog darted in front of the truck at Sperry Avenue and Ninth Street and was struck, suffering a shattered leg and what appeared to be a severed artery. McLaughlin was soon joined by other firefighters, ambulance staff and deputies. Local veterinarian offices were closed, and emergency hospitals were too far away, but Solvin happened to be in her office after hours and received the call.  Irrigator file photo The dog was transported to the Newman hospital, and Solvin put him on antibiotics before amputating his rear right leg. Patterson, as he was dubbed by hospital staff, recovered well and was ready to go home after a few weeks. But his owner never showed, and despite his cheerful and pleasant demeanor, no one adopted him. Solvin said the staff members at the hospital quickly warmed to Patterson, often taking him home for a weekend, but none of them were in a position to keep him permanently. “He’s a great dog,” she said. “We love this dog. He has such a great attitude. He’s an example that when things are bad, be happy. He’s a wonderful example for everybody.” Some would say the same about Solvin. If McLaughlin was the first hero in Patterson’s story, she’d be the second. Solvin said it’s rare for an animal to come into a veterinary hospital needing emergency surgery with no owners present. Such an operation is not cheap — Solvin estimates this one would have cost as much as $1,500 — yet she proceeded knowing that the hospital would likely foot the bill. That act inspired at least one of her longtime clients. Jake Snowdall, who runs a truck scale for Di Mare Bros. Co. in Newman, has taken his own dog, Bingo, to Solvin for years. Now that Bingo is too old to travel, Solvin makes house calls to care for him. Snowdall read of Patterson’s story in a newspaper article and, knowing that Solvin would be on the hook for the entire cost of the surgery, donated $100 to help pay the bill. “I said, ‘Here’s a little bit of a donation,’” Snowdall said. “She said, ‘I can’t take it,’ and I said, ‘Yes, you can.’ “I think it’s great for her to save that dog’s life.” Snowdall has since gone around to local business people and raised another $60, which he delivered to the hospital Friday. “I’m overwhelmed,” Solvin said of Snowdall’s support. “He’s such a wonderful guy. He might seem rather gruff, but he’s a sweetheart.” Solvin said she worries that the obvious cost of the surgery might have made Patterson’s original owners reluctant to retrieve him. She’s still hopeful that if that’s the case, they might change their minds knowing that won’t be an issue. “We’ve donated him, and any claim we might have on veterinary services, we’ve given that up,” Solvin said. “We were willing to do that. If the owner then goes to GSP Rescue and says ‘I’m interested in adopting this dog,’ they could take that path. The best thing is for him to go back to the home where he came from.” And for any others interested in adopting Patterson, add Snowdall’s to a growing list of testimonials. “I took that dog for a walk,” he said. “He’s real friendly. If I didn’t have my dog, I’d take this dog in a heartbeat.” For information: Westside Animal Hospital, 862-9400; Robin at NorCal GSP Rescue, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it To reach James Leonard at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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