Paramedics from ER24 went out of their way to save a wounded pit bull puppy who they found frightened and hurt on Jakes Gerwel Drive near Athlone recently.
The medics stopped their ambulance on the busy N7 to rescue the puppy which they’ve named Blue.
Allan Perrins of the Animal Welfare Society of South Africa in Philippi explains the paramedics had been rushing a patient to hospital and had asked the patient’s
permission to stop and help the animal.
They then took the patient to the hospital before taking the dog to a private vet from where it was handed over to AWS for surgery for a fractured femur.
He says the paramedics had noticed cars swerving for something in the fast lane and stopped when they spotted the puppy in the middle of the road.
“The ambulance crew immediately turned on their emergency hazard lights and stopped to investigate,” says Perrins.
“She [medic] initially tried to encourage the puppy to run out of harm’s way but he just sat there with a very sad and desperate look on his face.
“She decided to pick him up, wrapped him in a blanket and carefully placed him in the back of their ambulance with the consent of their stable patient who they were conveying to a nearby
hospital.”
He says a X-ray confirmed the puppy had a fractured leg or pelvis “and his left rear femur head was removed”.
“The delicate operation performed by AWS SA’s Head Vet Dr Zhaneta Stoynova was a success and after spending several weeks in hospital convalescing Blue went on to make a full recovery.”
He says the dog has since been adopted.