OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — One dog in Omaha has a unique name. Sam the Dam Dog, and it comes from how he was found. He was chained up in the water with two broken legs.
Now he’s getting a second chance on life, as his rescuers are looking to raise money for some much needed medical costs.
Valerie Blackford has always wanted to foster an animal. That’s when she met Sam, a lab mix who’s a few months old. He loves to play fetch, specifically with her shoes, and like most dogs, enjoys the couch. But unlike most dogs, he’s was found in a rough position.
“I had no idea when I chose Sam that he had any injuries at all,” said Blackford who is now fostering Sam.
Sam was found by a dam in Arkansas, stuck in water he couldn’t escape.
“He had a chain padlocked around one of his back legs, and that was chained to a piece of rebar from the dam,” said Angie Hospodka, founder of Nebraska’s Loving Animal Advocates.
She says he also had two broken back legs, one of which his rescuers speculate came from trying to get out of the spot he was in. Unfortunately for Sam, the list of injuries and things wrong with him went on.
He had a urinary tract infection, a sore on his back that left a scar, fleas, ticks, and was malnourished. The first broken leg stunted his growth, which is why he’s a little uneven.
“When we saw his little leg compared to his regular leg, we knew this dog was going to be in for some hardcore medical treatment,” said Hospodka.
But by looking at this dog who’s been through so much, you’d never know he was left for dead.
“It blows me away that dogs and cats can be so forgiving because if I was Sam, I would probably try and bite a lot of people if it was up to me,” said Hospodka.
Sam is now getting the treatment he needs while spending time in a loving home and suddenly has a bright future ahead of him.
“I’ve never seen a dog just power through everything he’s been through,” said Blackford.
If you’re interested in donating to NALA to help with vet bills, visit their website nalarescue.org
