French Bulldog 'Jack' With 'Twisted Leg' Needs Surgery, Forever Home

BOSTON — A 2-year-old French Bulldog named Jack unable to use his front left leg because it is twisted 180 degrees in the wrong direction will require amputation surgery before being put up for adoption by the MSPCA-Angell.

Jack was surrendered to MSPCA-Angell in November because of housing issues.

"We do a lot of work through all our programs — like Community Outreach and our Community Clinics — to try to keep pets in homes with the people who love them, but sometimes that's just not possible," MSPCA-Angell Vice President of Animal Protection Mike Keiley said.

Jack was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and underwent surgery on Dec. 12. His left leg remains turned — making it unusable and very uncomfortable.

"Unfortunately, it's not an injury that we can fix, so we need to amputate the leg once Jack's recovered a bit from the first surgery and has the stability needed in his hind legs to move forward," Keiley said. "He may also need an additional surgery on his hind legs in the future, but right now, our biggest concern is the twisted front leg."

Keiley estimates that his surgeries and related care are expected to cost roughly $10,000 with public donations being sought to help offset those costs.

"The popularity of bulldogs has led to overbreeding that often results in really complex and expensive congenital issues like Jack's, and affording that kind of care puts an additional strain on owners and shelters," Keiley said. "Jack will navigate the world a little differently than other dogs following the amputation, but we know he'll be the perfect pet for the right home."

Keiley estimates that Jack will be ready to find his new home in early-to-mid January. Interested adopters are asked to monitor the MSPCA's social media channels for updates on availability.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)