German Shepherd Recovers from 'Horrific' Injury but Still Needs Help

It's been a long road for this Livermore pup.

TJ the young German Shepherd found suffering from a major leg injury Aug. 5 is on his way to recovery but he still needs help from the community that helped save his life.

"Although his recovery is going well, I have created a fundraiser for him," says Laura Long. "I'm trying to raise money to pay for a front-wheel cart to give Tre-Joe the support he needs when going for walks."

Long is one of Tre-Joe or "Roky's" rescuers. On Aug. 5, she and her daughter  Candice were walking their two dogs, a yellow lab named Brutus and a pitt bull named Sage when they saw Tre-Joe sitting on the front porch of a home not known for having a dog.

"I noticed blood on the sidewalk and just knew it was from him," Long says.

After walking back home and leaving the two dogs, she and her daughter returned to the house and, as Tre-Joe sat up realized the extent of his injuries. She called Livermore Police Animal Control and waited for their arrival.

A Livermore Police Animal Control officer described the dog’s leg as “horrific and probably the worst untreated injury I have ever seen. The suffering that the dog must have endured is unthinkable.”

The dog faced euthanasia or amputation, but Tri-Valley Animal Rescue agreed to use its "Cinderella Fund," an emergency reserve for medical situations, to help pay for treatment at Bishop Ranch Medical Center in San Ramon, which reduced its price.

The 7-month-old dog had his front left leg amputated due to due to broken and exposed bones, nerve damage, infection, and dead tissue, Long says.

"I’ve met Tre-Joe and been with him since," Long says. "He has a great disposition. He's a wonderful dog and I just want to see the best for him."

A few weeks ago, Long visited the dog's foster mom from the Bay Area German Shepherd Rescue Organization and took Tre-Joe home with her for the weekend.

"I took him home for a weekend to spend some time together and saw he was having a hard time walking and gaining strength," she says.

It was then that she decided she had to do something more to help.

"I created it (fundraising website) Sunday and so far have raised $600 (the website shows that number up since this interview at $985)," Long says. 

Long's fundraiser aims at raising $3,000--enough for physical therapy for Tre-Joe as well as a front wheel cart to aid him in getting around easier.

"There are so many good people out there and that’s what this whole this is all about," she says. "It's been amazing to see."

For more information on Tre-Joe or to donate, visit this site. Tre-Joe is also available for adoption. 

Kari Hulac contributed to this article