Dog Loses Leg After Package Thief Stole Christmas Presents, Left Gate Open

FONTANA, CA — A Fontana family is navigating an unexpected tragedy after a thief stole their Christmas gifts and allowed their beloved dog, Sparky, to escape and suffer injuries that required a leg amputation.

The incident occurred Dec. 3, when a person broke into the family’s yard, took the gifts and left the gate open, Krystal Altamirano wrote on a GoFundMe.

Sparky escaped, as did the family’s other dog, a golden retriever named Blazer, according to the Los Angeles Times, which reported Blazer was back home within hours, but Sparky, a blue heeler, wasn’t with him.

“Within minutes, he was hit by a car,” Altamirano wrote. “He spent two days alone in the cold — hurt, starving, dehydrated, and unable to move. When my boyfriend finally found him, Sparky crawled out from under a structure and rolled onto his side as if begging for help. It was absolutely heartbreaking.”

Sparky suffered a broken leg and foot as well as a severe infection, Altamirano wrote, noting he underwent several surgeries. The Times reported his leg amputation was scheduled for Friday and the GoFundMe page, as of Tuesday, showed a picture of Sparky post-amputation.

All donations will go to Sparky’s medical care and support.

Altamirano’s boyfriend, David Lopez, filed a police report about the package theft, but as of late last week, he hadn’t heard of any developments, according to the Times.