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Wet Nose Blog
Home › Dog tales › Army veteran adopts blind three-legged dog crippled by animal cruelty

Army veteran adopts blind three-legged dog crippled by animal cruelty

February 18, 2015Dog tales

Shawn and Crixus

There are few happy endings for dogs and cats who are the subjects of human cruelty. Luckily for a then six week-old puppy left to die in the streets of Detroit, his hero came in the person of an Army veteran who learned about his story and felt compelled to save him. Crixus (Shawn) closeup_400

Our partners at the Michigan Humane Society received a call about a dog who had possibly been hit by a car. Upon examination, it was determined that the young Shepherd mix had been shot with a BB gun.

The dog’s x-rays revealed a BB lodged next to the his spine, rendering one of his hind legs completely useless. Unable to save it, the shelter’s veterinary team amputated the leg. However, the young dog – named Forrest by the shelter staff – was not yet out of the woods.

During post-surgical recovery, Forrest stopped breathing and his heart stopped.

Forrest was resuscitated by the veterinary team at the Michigan Humane Society, but he emerged from the near-death experience with almost total vision loss. He spent several weeks recovering in a foster home before being made available for adoption.

Video courtesy Michigan Humane Society; all rights reserved.
Video courtesy Michigan Humane Society; all rights reserved.
Out of the woods, Forrest finds his hero

Shawn served for more than 10 years in the Army, separating from service as Captain. Like thousands of others in the community, she learned about Forrest in the news and her heart ached. She was not only a veteran, but a practicing veterinarian who has – and has had – other special needs companion pets. Shawn felt called to save Forrest, and give him the life that he deserved. (Click here, or the image above, to see the video).

“If I couldn’t get him,” Shawn says, “I would be worrying about him for the rest of my life.”

The shelter staff told Shawn about their partnership with Pets for Patriots while she was making arrangements to adopt the adorable, blind, three-legged dog. Her application to our companion pet adoption program for veterans was expedited and, just days before Valentines’ Day, Shawn brought her new love home. Shawn and Crixus_400

A pint-sized gladiator starts his new life

The young puppy’s life has been off to an uneasy start, but little Forrest has proven to be a fighter. Shawn decided that her new charge needed a name that better reflected his incredible fortitude.

Forrest has been renamed Crixus, after a Gallic gladiator and military leader in the War of Spartacus.

We’re grateful to Shawn for her service to our country and for her being a hero to a special needs pet who experienced such a tragic start in life. And our thanks as well to the Michigan Humane Society for their extraordinary work rescuing and rehabilitating dogs and cats who are abandoned, abused and unwanted, and giving them a second chance at life.

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8 comments

  1. Roz says:
    March 16, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    This brought happy tears to my eyes it is wonderful when these beautiful babies find there forever home

    Thanks Shawn for your caring HEART and thanks to all the others also God Bless all of you

    1. leslie w says:
      March 16, 2015 at 1:57 pm

      Thank you for your service and for taking a chance on a special needs dog, a lot of people would never take that on. Who better than a veterinarian right?! Soooo happy to hear he’s improving and overjoyed to see him so happy! You are an angel!

  2. Shawn says:
    February 20, 2015 at 9:11 am

    Thank you everyone for the nice comments and thank you to Pets for Patriots for all they do.. I’m happy to tell you that Crix(us) is doing wonderful! His vision continues to improve and he’s using his one rear leg more and more. Even with the leg not working completely yet, he still runs around like a maniac. He doesn’t seem to have any bad memories and he loves everyone he meets–especially his two cat siblings. He chose the central spot in the bed at night and the cats actually allowed it. He is such a happy pup and so full of energy. I can’t wait for spring so he can romp around the grass, woods, and go to the lake.

    1. Beth Zimmerman says:
      February 20, 2015 at 10:25 am

      Shawn, thank you for your service and for sharing Crix with us. He already has a legion of fans who are excited and hopeful for his new life with you and your family (two- and four-legged)!

  3. Laura Pappas says:
    February 19, 2015 at 11:28 am

    Wonderful story of perseverance! What a cutie!

  4. debbie J says:
    February 19, 2015 at 3:44 am

    Thank you so much Shawn for your service and for being an angel to adopt your precious fur-angel. I’m so happy he now has a wonderful, loving home with you. Such evil people to do what was done to this sweet little innocent fur-angel. God Bless You and little Crixus for a long, happy and healthy life.

  5. NICOLE says:
    February 18, 2015 at 9:50 pm

    Thank you Shawn twice for serving this country with bravery and for giving this gladiator a warm and loving home. You are a beautiful person with much to give to this little pup.

    1. Madeline Gaffigan says:
      February 18, 2015 at 10:27 pm

      Shawn you are a true hero. Not only for the service to your country, but to animals such as Crixus. You are a true blessing to many.

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Clark retired from the Marines after more than 20 Clark retired from the Marines after more than 20 years of service to our nation. And in 2012 he was one of our early adopters - literally and figuratively - when he rescued then 2 year-old Ellie.

Ellie is now 13 and the pint-sized pup is still living large with Clark and his family, who recently gave us this heartfelt shoutout:

"Wanted to thank you for the many years of support your team has provided! It has helped out immensely over the years! Thank you all for what you have done and for what you continue to do."

Sounds like a mission accomplished to us!

Thanks to our partners @ranchocoastal - one of our earliest shelter partners - for this enduring match, and for continuing to waive adoption fees for veterans in our program.

#gotchadayanniversary #adoptdontshop #adoptashelterdog #adoptashelterpet #militaryfamily #usmcveteran #usmc #marinecorps #usmarines #usmarinecorps #petsforvets
Ahoy, mate! Noah retired from the Navy and just th Ahoy, mate! Noah retired from the Navy and just threw a lifeline to Kali, a stunning Cane Corso mix. This big, beautiful girl was in the care of our partners @norfolkanimals which gives veterans we serve 50% off adoption fees.

Click to the next photo to see their freedom ride pic!

#canecorsoofinstagram #canecorso #bigdogs #bigdogsofinstagram #bigdogstrong #adoptdontshop #adoptashelterpet #adoptashelterdog #weratedogs #navyveteran #navy #usn #usnavy #norfolkva
CJ is a disabled Marine veteran who finds joy in t CJ is a disabled Marine veteran who finds joy in the simple pleasures of life, including the addition of an older cat who joined her after the loss of a beloved pet.

Click the link in our bio to read their tale!

Thanks @sdhumanesociety for helping us make this purr-fect story possible and for waiving adoption fees for veterans in our program. ❤️

#sdhumanesociety #femaleveteran #usmcveteran #usmc #marinecorps #cats_of_instagram #cutecat #cutecats #cutecatsofinstagram #nalacat #adoptasheltercat #adoptaseniorpet #oldcatsofinstagram #oldcats #twoisbetterthanone
You know it's love when your new Marine Corps dad You know it's love when your new Marine Corps dad gives up his armchair for you. ❤️

Congratulations to nearly 9 year-old Holly Belle who's already made herself at home. She met Chuck through our partners @fredspca - which waives adoption fees for veterans we serve...oorah!

#olddogsrule #seniordogsofinstagram #adoptaseniordog #adoptaseniorpet #olddogsofinstagram #cutedogs #weratedogs #usmcveteran #usmc #marinecorps #iserved #iadopted #petsforvets
Wishing all of our Jewish friends around the world Wishing all of our Jewish friends around the world a sweet New Year, especially the men and women of the U.S. military who serve in all corners of the world in defense of our freedoms, including the freedom to practice (or not) the faith of our choosing.

L'shana tovah!

#lshanatova #lshanahtovah #roshhashana #roshhashanah #happynewyear #jewishnewyear #freedom #freedomofreligion #sweetnewyear
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* Andre is an Army National Guardsman with a heart for older pets. He met 11 year-old Camo (great name!) through our partners @nfsaws in Connecticut, which offers our veterans 50% off adoption fees.

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* Jonasia is an Army veteran who visited our partners @bmorehumane and added 3 year-old Josey to her family. This gorgeous hound and her adorable human sister are both so pretty in pink...twinning!

* James is an Iraq war veteran who needed the comfort of a 4-legged battle buddy. Three year-old Nami fit the bill after being in the care of our partners @lollypopfarm!

* Jacob is active duty Army and met Charlemagne at @jeffcospca where this stunning Shepherd-Retriever mix just fetched a new home!

Thanks to all of our shelter partners mentioned in this post - and across the country - who help us place animals in need with our nation's heroes.

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Jeff has always believed in doing the right thing Jeff has always believed in doing the right thing as his guiding philosophy. Eventually that attitude led the Marine Corps veteran to save a shelter dog who would forever change his perspective on adoption.

Click the link in our bio to read this truly inspirational tale!

#usmcveteran #usmc #marinecorps #usmarines #marinecorpsveteran #iraqwar #combatveteran #militaryfamily #cutedogsofinstagram #weratedogs #adoptdontshop #petsforvets #muttsrule
22 years after the 9/11 terror attacks we continue 22 years after the 9/11 terror attacks we continue to honor the lives of thousands of souls lost that day and in the years that followed, including two as yet unnamed victims identified within the last few days.

May they all rest in heavenly repose with the knowledge that we will never waiver, we will always stand on the side of freedom, and we will never, ever forget.

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