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Pit Bull Pup Tossed From Moving Car Walking Again, Up For Adoption In One Month
By
Ben Yakas
Published Sep 3, 2012
Modified Sep 3, 2012
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Sep 3, 2012
Modified Sep 3, 2012
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Earlier this month, a pit bull puppy was hospitalized with a broken neck after being brutally thrown from a moving car in Long Island. Three-month-old pup Joey, who was tossed out in a trash bag, fractured six neck vertebrae when he hit the ground. But good news! Joey was discharged from Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island in West Islip on Friday—he's walking again, he can bark, he's eating, he'll be up for adoption in one month! "We are not 100 percent sure he will ever walk normally, but he will be able to walk and run," Dr. Lynda Loudon-Sheppard, chief of emergency medicine, told Newsday.
In addition to his neck injuries, doctors say the three-month old was malnourished, covered with fleas, and had bite marks on his neck, which might indicate the pup had been used as a bait dog by dog fighters. But he's much improved after three weeks at the veterinary center: "He's doing very well," said Loudon-Sheppard. "He tires very easily, but he's much stronger than we ever expected at this stage."
Nevertheless, he'll still need months of care and physical therapy twice a day. His custom neck brace will arrive this week from Canada. Later, he will strengthen leg muscles on a water treadmill—an adorable water treadmill we bet. You can check out more pictures and videos of Joey rehabilitating here.
Tagged
abuse
broken neck
dog
dogs
joey
long island
pit bull
puppy
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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