So on the weekend they had a friend over with a huge German Shepherd. It stepped on the puppy and the puppy broke it's leg. The couple took the puppy to the "cheapest vet" they could find and learned that the bill would be over $1000 so they left without seeking treatment for the leg.
I got involved when my neighbour asked for advice on how to get this puppy away from the couple and get some medical help. I am so disturbed by this and ready to call in the Humane Society because withholding this treatment is classified is animal cruelty. I spent most of the evening counselling my neighbour on how to get these kids to surrender the dog to a rescue organization that could treat the leg and then foster it until it is adopted. I got all the contact info - sent it all out, All this work just to have a plan of action pulled together in order to present these kids with their options. she contacted the rescues and only now I find out they will not take the puppy because it is a pitty mix. An important piece of the puzzle that nobody told me. Pit Bull type dogs are illegal in Ontario. All this work and back to square one. No rescue organization based in our province will even touch the dog. So now we are trying a pit bull rescue group based in Quebec - they transport dogs out of Ontario. Also I'm told our local Humane society may take the puppy as long as it might pass for some other mix - perhaps husky/lab - and with no reference of pit bull upon surrender. .
This is getting sadder and sadder - the couple won't treat the dog, the dog could potentially be permanently damaged or have a limp or eventually require amputation if untreated. Or he could be euthanized if I lodge a complaint of animal cruelty because it is a banned bred. What to do, what to do, what to do.