Dog with three legs captures hearts

officials are celebrating the adoption of a special dog this week. Brownie is a young Miniature Pinscher that has just three legs.

He came to the facility’s Milpitas campus earlier this fall in bad shape. He had a severely injured leg and foot, most likely from being hit by a car.

After extensive evaluation, veterinarians working with the Humane Society decided to amputate Brownie’s injured left rear leg. The decision was partially based on past experience staff members have had in other cases where dogs did quite well with just three limbs. And Brownie, otherwise healthy and with a good disposition, seemed to be a good candidate for the procedure.

The decision paid off.

Staff members were amazed to see Brownie bounce back from the surgery in just 36 hours. They reported that less than a week later he was playing, running and jumping in the on-campus dog park.

Brownie even starred in a Humane Society Silicon Valley YouTube video that showed him energetically playing with volunteer staff members who eventually let him off-leash to chase balls and run free in the grassy dog park.  

Soon Brownie was greeting visitors and meeting potential adoptive families at the center. It wasn’t long before the right match was made and Brownie found a new home.

While Brownie is a unique animal, Humane Society workers say his success story is not. Staff members credit success stories like this to the strong support, commitment and financial donations the center receives from the community. The donations allow the staff to care for animals like Brownie without hesitation and offer them a second chance at a full life.  

The Humane Society Silicon Valley operates its Animal Community Center at 901 Ames Ave., Milpitas. The facility includes animal care services, community education, adoptive services, a dog park and pet store. Adoptions are available every day. For details, visit their website at hssv.org.