Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Aug 31/01) - He limps, he smells, he has a long nose and sad eyes and for Laureen Schidlowsky he's a beauty worth fighting for.
 Laureen Schidlowsky and Baffin. The husky-labrador cross was found with a broken leg and is now racking up some pretty hefty vet bills. - Jorge Barrera/NNSL photo |
Schidlowsky, an assistant veterinarian at the Great Slave Animal Hospital, digs her fingers into Baffin's thick ebony fur and speaks to him in tones only babies understand. Baffin, a 10-month-old labrador-husky cross, pants, sniffs and scratches himself.
He was found two weeks ago near the fire hall with a fractured front left leg. He recently went under the knife to have four screws and a metal plate inserted over his fractured radius bone. But dogs aren't covered under medicare and Schidlowsky is trying to raise money to pay for his surgery.
"I just couldn't let him go," she said.
Schidlowsky borrowed $300 from the SPCA and the Great Slave Animal hospital put in another $300 to go toward the $1,000 surgery.
Schidlowsky is hoping the kind heart of Yellowknife will raise the rest of the money.
"I'll be out there with a collection can," she said.
Schidlowsky plans to set up charity buckets at Radio Shack, the animal hospital and Borealis Kennels along with CAT channel advertising.
Schidlowsky hopes the campaign will catch on and create the base for a surgery fund for stray animals who need surgery or for owners who can't afford to immediately pay for emergency surgery.
"No one will adopt an animal if it's lame," said Schidlowsky.
Baffin was neutered on Wednesday.
Schidlowsky figures Baffin was let go because he was too much to handle.
"If he was fixed he probably wouldn't be here," said Schidlowsky who recommends all dog owners fix their animals.
Baffin needs a home now. According to Schidlowsky 60 per cent of stray dogs at the animal hospital get picked up by someone.
But to look at Baffin's long face and jet black fur and the lightning bolt of white fur over his stomach, it's possible this dog might not stay lonely for long.
