Before Jim Havlinek saw Nubz on Facebook, he was a perfectly content dog-dad of two. But there was something about the rescue pup, who lost his rear paws in a Missouri puppy mill, that he simply could not get out of his mind.
A video of Nubz bravely conquering his physical therapy inspired him to fill out an adoption application. Havlinek was approved, so he hopped in his RV and made the 2,800 mile voyage from Oregon to Pennsylvania to pick up his new dog!
Nubz is thought to be the only pup of his litter to survive the puppy mill. While there, his mom chewed his rear paws off – likely due to a combination of stress and maternal inexperience.
“Puppy mills typically have a lot of caged animals. They don’t have a lot of access to moving around,” Laura Magruder, Nubz’s veterinarian at Evergreen Veterinary Hospital in Salem, told KGW.com. “We don’t know if it was the extra stress of the puppy mill or maybe she just wasn’t ready to be a mom, but she ended up taking it out on her puppies unfortunately.”
Luckily, Nubz received exceptional care from his rescuers, veterinary staff, and foster mom. Soon, he was ready to move on to his next adventure – a brand new life with his adoptive dad.
Nubz is now about 3 years old, and Havlinek has made good on his promise to do anything and everything to ensure this special boy’s health and happiness. He participates in expensive hydrotherapy sessions and will be fitted with a brand new set of $3,000 custom prosthetics this week.
Despite the additional cost and responsibility of having a disabled dog, Havlinek says it’s all worth it when he sees Nubz running, playing, and having fun just like any other pup. He hopes to have him trained as a therapy dog for wounded veterans so that his story of survival can inspire others.
Can’t get enough of Nubz? Follow his exploits on “The Life of Nubz” Facebook page!
H/T to KGW.com
Featured Images via Facebook/Jim Havlinek
