Meet Utah, a 1-year-old Aussie who has had a rough start to life but with the help of community partners and a dedicated team, is on the way to recovery.

Utah was originally brought to The Emergency Veterinary Hospital by City of Eugene Animal Services and then transferred to us by a Eugene Animal Welfare Officer. During the chaos of responding to his owner’s death, Utah slipped out of his home and was running loose for weeks before being found alone in a field. He was emaciated, unable to walk on his hind legs, dehydrated & covered in ticks. He received medical care, was placed on a feeding plan and had over 86 ticks removed. Even enduring this pain, Utah is an affectionate pup. He received a comfortable bed and care while at Greenhill, but we know that due to severe trauma & extensive injuries to both hind limbs, he will require orthopedic surgery.

This means he will have restricted activity (kennel rest/short leash walks) and physical therapy after surgery. Just as humans recover much better at home than in a hospital, Utah will do better in a home as he recovers. We found Utah’s perfect foster-to-adopt situation, where Greenhill retains ownership, covers medical expenses and oversees follow-up care during this period. Once treatment of Utah’s injuries are complete, he will be officially adopted! His new family will encourage him to chillax and focus on getting better. This means lots of mental stimulation and creative enrichment. If all goes well, he should be able to live a normal, active life, although he probably won’t be a champion agility dog or marathon-runner.

We know Utah’s new family will be patient and provide endless love during this recovery process.