An Edmonton couple has reunited with their beloved four-legged friend that was struck by a vehicle on Whitemud Drive last week.
Josephine Mah and Todd Slade left the city to enjoy their honeymoon and entrusted Aspen, their one-year-old dog, with a friend.
Aspen managed to get away from their friend’s Larkspur home and was missing for three days, during which she was hit by a vehicle.
“She had some really serious damage,” Mah told CTV News Edmonton. “It was a really scary couple of days.”
An unknown Good Samaritan picked up Aspen and dropped her off at a veterinarian clinic. On Sunday, the couple finally reunited with her after returning from their trip.
“We never thought we’d see our dog again,” Slade said. “Just thinking of her being by herself for a couple days is too much to think about.”
“We are just elated to sit with her and have her in our arms again,” Mah added.
A community search party was organized to help locate Aspen. Once she had been found, friends and family started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of Aspen’s medical treatments.
Aspen had a collapsed lung and severe nerve damage to one of her front paws. She still may need an amputation, depending on how the healing process goes, and needs to have a tooth pulled.
“There’s just so much relief and gratitude for everyone who helped find her and who has donated to the GoFundMe campaign,” Mah said.
“We couldn’t have done it without this amazing community of Edmonton and people who are dog owners and people who love animals.”
While they were presented with the option to euthanize her, both Slade and Mah agreed they would do whatever it took to keep Aspen healthy.
“We both said absolutely not,” Mah explained. “She’s a part of our family. We love her and we will do whatever it takes to rehabilitate her.”
Mah and Slade adopted Aspen as a rescue dog from Homeward Hound.
“We are just so excited to have her with us and back in her care,” Mah said. “She’s just a really spirited, really smart, really curious, really fun puppy.”
