NEW YORK, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- An injured dog facing death at a New York animal shelter has been saved after an e-mail campaign to save her found a benefactor, shelter officials say.
Kirby, a 2-year-old pit bull mix, was hit by a car and left unable to walk, which means a death sentence for most shelter animals since rescue groups generally are unable to help an animal with such extensive injuries, the New York Daily News reported Saturday.
But volunteers at the Manhattan city-run shelter fell in love with Kirby and mounted a frantic e-mail campaign to save her.
Ready for Rescue, a non-profit group that saves cats and dogs that would otherwise be euthanized at the shelter, responded to the campaign.
"When we met her we could see they were right," Doug Halsey, who runs the non-profit, said.
"Despite extraordinary pain, she was sweet and gentle," he said.
Halsey committed to paying for surgery for Kirby and finding her a home, the Daily News reported.
Five days after surgery, Kirby could move her legs and started rehab at Water4Dogs, the city's only indoor pool for dogs, where she swam and did hydrotherapy.
Now she's in no pain and walks well -- with a bit of an odd gait -- and is in foster care awaiting a new home, the report said.
"She's happy and she loves people," Halsey said.
