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Bronson Stewart - Source: ONE News -
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An injured Wanganui puppy whose plight touched the hearts of animal lovers around the country and overseas will have surgery, thanks to public donations.
Bronson Stewart's five-month-old pup Buck was left with a dislocated and fractured hind leg when hit by a car last month in Wanganui.
Stewart, an 18-year-old sickness beneficiary, was unable to pay the $2500 vet's fee for the dog's leg to be pinned back together, or $800 for the leg to be amputated.
He kidnapped Buck back from the vet, and when faced with prosecution by the SPCA, said he'd rather go to jail than have his dog put down.
After Buck's story broke, the SPCA received hundreds of dollars in donations, prompting it to set up a national trust fund for badly injured animals needing veterinary care.
The fund would benefit animals who could survive with surgery, but whose owners could not afford the cost of treatment.
Buck would benefit from the fund with his operation due today, at Massey University's Veterinary Hospital.
Buck's surgeon believed the dislocation had been left too long to be corrected, but the fracture would heal and Buck's leg would function without pain, Massey spokesman Brian Gibson says.
Buck will spend the weekend at the university.
Wanganui SPCA manager Val Waters said on Wednesday people had been into the office all day giving donations to save Buck, with $900 collected by late afternoon.
They had also fielded "hundreds" of calls from people offering to send donations.
The entire town of Coromandel took up a collection and a dog lover from Rio, Nevada, in the United States, asked where he could send money, the Wanganui Chronicle reported.
An email from Vanessa Corbett, the general manager of Pet-n-Sur, a pet insurance company recommended by the Auckland SPCA, offered to pay for Buck's operation and gift Bronson and Buck a year's pet insurance.
The outpouring of donations and support prompted the SPCA to set up a new national trust fund for badly injured animals needing veterinary care.
National SPCA chief executive Robyn Kippenberger says the animals would be assessed by a vet, and if they could be saved, money from the fund would be used instead of the animal being euthanased.
Who do you think is in the right in this case - the dog
owner or the vet? Would you pay $2,500 for the dog's leg to be
pinned? Have your say on our messageboard below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentchrisd55 said on 2010-02-15 @ 22:03 NZDT: Report abusive post
There seems such an element of "it's not fair" rather than any personal responsibility, learnt or shown these days-There are a lot of us who struggle to meet our obligations to our pets,always well aware of all the costs,including sickness and injury, but as our responsibility.What will this boy learn?-his "reward" for the publicity?"someone else will sort it out"-and how will that help him or his dog in the future? I'd be ashamed to expect anyone else should pay given the same circumstamces.
Kararaina said on 2010-02-15 @ 15:24 NZDT: Report abusive post
I don't get this silly debate? It all comes down to dog owner responsibility? For example, I can't own a dog because I know that I cannot not afford one - in particular could not afford any unforeseen circumstance? End of story.
pattyann said on 2010-02-12 @ 15:02 NZDT: Report abusive post
How about the vets charging a small surcharge that could be lodged at the S.P.C.A. to be used in cases like this. I am sure that all animal lovers wouldn't mind paying a little extra on their bill. Some vets are real animal lovers and do allow their clients to pay off their bill if they are battling financially - there is one in Tauranga that I know of. What a lovely dog, I have sent through a personal donation and one from my business as well. I hope that Buck's story has a happy ending.
alsation said on 2010-02-11 @ 12:53 NZDT: Report abusive post
I was shocked at the vet's attitude last night re: the treatment of dog....obviously vet's have a business to run, but this man did not appear to have compassion for a lad that obviously loved his dog. I also think in a situation like this the SPCA should take over and help out, otherwise my contributions to the SPCA would cease - I would also NEVER take an animal to this particular vet, but would enlist the help of another one....to my mind he has shown no compassion.
andycg said on 2010-02-11 @ 11:37 NZDT: Report abusive post
We just had to have our dog put down becos he was in pain and couldnt walk, the vet wouldn't do it till we payed the money, just shows vets care more about the money than the dog. god on you mate and good luck with the dog.