NEW ORLEANS -- Pet lovers across the metro area have joined forces to help save a poodle hit by a car in St. Charles Parish.
Charlie's recovery battle has won over the hearts of veterinarians in Mandeville and the social media world.
"I'd say his name, he'd just pick up his head. By the end of the Causeway he was not responding because he was going into shock," said Alissa Johnson with Animal Helper.
A week ago, Johnson didn't know if Charlie would survive. On Thursday night she got a chance to spend some quality time with the 2-year-old poodle who goes into surgery again on Friday.
The pooch was rescued by Animal Helper, which says the dog was hit by a car in St. Charles Parish. Its owner couldn't pay the hefty medical bill and agreed to have their pet euthanized.
"You can see this side is normal and this side as a really nasty fracture," said Dr. Robert Hancock with South Paws Veterinary Specialists.
Dr. Hancock, chief surgeon at South Paws Veterinary Specialists in Mandeville, said his staff has been working around the clock to keep Charlie alive. The clinic even offering up some of its services pro bono.
"He initially just came in with a pelvic fracture. We ended up finding that he also had a urethral tear and was actually leaking urine into his abdomen," said Dr. Hancock.
To help pay for Charlie's surgeries, Johnson posted a social media call for help on her organization's animal rescue Facebook page. The poodle's plight won over pet lovers' hearts.
"He didn't have any pain medicine after he was hit, but he didn't show any aggression at all. That showed that he was an awesome dog and you just looked in his eyes and knew he needed to be saved," said Johnson.
If you'd like to help Charlie with his recovery click here.
