Firefighters and animal control officers in Fresno, California, responded to a call about a puppy that had fallen 70 feet into a well. Her owners didn’t think the 6-week-old Shepherd mix had survived until they heard her cries.

First responders arrived on the scene and worked to pull the puppy from a 6-inch-wide hole. After two hours, she was freed but needed immediate medical attention. Her owners were unfortunately unable to afford care, so the Fresno Humane Animal Service stepped in to help. They frequently work with our team at Abby Pet Hospital and transferred her there.

Dr. Eric Hannon examined the puppy and discovered her right front leg had broken, and the soft tissues were so severely damaged that it was unrepairable. Unfortunately, they would need to remove the leg. And since her red blood cell levels were very low, she also needed a blood transfusion before surgery could be performed. Registered Veterinary Technician Nicole Williams brought in her own dog, Aurora, who was a match for the little puppy. After a successful transfusion, the puppy became stable, and I performed a successful surgery.

During her recovery, our team fittingly named her Wellma. Registered Veterinary Technician Erin Miranda fostered her before a rescue helped prepare her for adoption.

The real stars of this case are the team at Abby... Our CSRs took Wellma in without question. Our technicians kept her warm, cleaned her wounds, brought their own dog in to be a blood donor, and welcomed her into their home for recovery until she could be cared for by the rescue. My team are the real heroes.