PLEASE HELP THE DRC SAVE DAKOTA'S LEG!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is Dakota. She was pulled last night from the PSPCA by two wonderful DRC volunteers, and brought to equally wonderful DRC director Lynne Fowler's home at 11 p.m. last night.

Dakota is a 1-2 yr old Miniature Labradoodle. She was brought in as a stray and she has a compound fracture of the left front distal radius and ulna. She must have been hit by a car. She is currently splinted and on Tramadol for pain. This injury will not heal properly with a cast. Her injuries require orthopedic surgery or an amputation.
Dakota is a very sweet and beautiful girl with a great disposition. Despite her injuries she is very active and ready to play.

Dakota was seen by the vet today, and the prognosis for saving her leg with surgery is excellent. The cost of the surgery will be $3200.
The DRC has committed to saving Dakota's leg and she is having the surgery. Having just also taken in a heartworm positive doodle yesterday, this expense will deplete the DRC's reserves, making it difficult if not impossible to save more doodles from euthanasia in kill shelters across the country.

We ask for so much from you here in the Doodle Kisses forum, and you never let us down. The incredible work that the DRC has done this past year, the doodles who have been saved from abuse, illness, and euthanasia, and who now have loving homes, none of this could have been done without you.
We need your help again. Please help us by donating to Dakota's Fund. Anything you send for this purpose will go directly to the vet bills for Dakota's surgery. We will keep a running total of all the funds donated and update you as they are received, as was done last year for Sophie's fund. Crossposting is appreciated, too.
I know none of us has much to spare these days, especially at this time of year, but anything will help. Anything at all.
Here is a link to the special Paypal account that has been set up for Dakota's surgery:


If you would like to send a check, here is the mailing address:
Doodle Rescue Collective
2 Prospect Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042
Please mark your donations "Dakota's Fund".
If you would like to make your donation in memory or honor of someone special, two or four-legged, we will also be happy to send a card or email to someone telling them of your kind gift in their honor or in memory of their loved one. Just let us know.

Please reach down into your hearts and pockets for Dakota. And thank you so much for your help.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My belief is that the former owners didn't claim her because then they would have had to pay for her treatment, in addition to the fees for having her picked up as a stray. And of course, if they had kept her safe in the first place, she wouldn't have ended up with a fractured leg.
You might be surprised how many owners don't claim even healthy dogs from shelters, even when the shelter is able to locate them through tags or microchips. It happens every day.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Here's a couple pics of Dakota in the snow today.

She hates having the plastic bag put on and off. But with 30" of snow, it was a little difficult today. She is doing pretty well. Thank You everyone for all the well wishes and help you have given to this girl.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh, she's adorable! What a sweet face! I see she's wearing a pink coat, it's nice you have another girl there for a change to side with you & Ginger against all those males!

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Ginger let her wear her coat. She has been surprisingly nice to Dakota. I guess she knows she's needy. Dakota is still on pain meds so is really mellow and calm. She gets waggly when you approach her and likes to be rubbed. She is no trouble at all...except for the baggie on and off.

[Debbie and Thomas]

Oh she is so pretty in her pink coat. Thks for posting these Lynne.

[Jeannine]

So cute! Beautiful little doodle with her pink coat and blue paw!
She look wonderful! Thank you so much for her Lynne, you're the best!

[Kyoko]

Thank you for all of your effort to help and save these doodles!!

[Debbie, Brianna and Duncan]

Awww is right, thanks for the pictures and Karen I can only think to repeat everything you said. What a sweet little girl!! She looks incredibly soft! Inside and out! and Dakota your coat is so lovely (the pink one too) but I love her natural fleece, golly she is beautiful. Wishing Dakota, and you and yours Lynne, the very best holiday.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

The main reason for the pink coat is because she is shaved in too many places. Plus, she has a fragile quality about her, as though she has been through hell and back. Her eyes are very soulful and I think she only wants to be loved. The first thing she does when you look at her is waggle her tail. A few times, she actually wagged her entire self, like happy doodles tend to do. With time, she will be an amazing, loving family member for a very lucky family.

[Debbie, Brianna and Duncan]

Aw, ...... it is so sad when they have to be shaved and pulls at my heartstrings all of the ones who 'have to be saved' due to the neglect/uncaring of others.....Dakota is wrapped in the kindness she so deserves and that is hearwarming to see. Truly wonderful, and I hope you keep us updated with her progress. Yes, time!...you are giving her the right kind of time, and all she so deserves and she will by her nature return it in kind. I am truly amazed at everytime I have witnessed this transformation of the so called 'hell and back' .........it is a wonder to behold if you have the patients, time, commitment, love, and understanding. Thank you Lynne and all of the others involved, for your giving.

[Pat & "Tucker"]

How is Dakota doing- please give us an update. I was just thinking about her!

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Yeah, husbands can be like that. She is doing remarkably well. The 30" of snow today really threw a monkey-wrench into the mix, but we managed. I shoveled a 4 foot drift away from my back door all before coffee this morning. She really is a beautiful girl and I am so glad we could save her leg. She is very much "Finnegan like" in her personality.

Right now, there's a little girl laying at my feet, with a cast on her leg, who had surgery on Wednesday, who was pulled from a shelter because one option was amputation. She will spend Christmas with my pack, surrounded by family and be safe and warm. That's all the justification I need for what I do!