An amazing dog story of survival, love and hope has emerged from a small townhouse in Stoney Creek where the LeVie family has given a badly injured Collie from Europe a home.
The collie is a street dog from Bosnia named Hope by rescuers who found her partially paralyzed and in dire health last September on the streets of Sarajevo. She had been hit by a car and left to die.
Kim LeVie learned of Hope through her Facebook animal rescue friend “Sandra” who, through an international effort and funding, was able to keep Hope alive and treated. But she couldn’t find someone to adopt her, says LeVie.
“I couldn’t stand by,” LeVie says as a now healthy looking Hope hops around the living room on her bum — her hind legs hanging limply as she plays with LeVie’s other pets, yellow Lab Buddy and Roo the cat, and Ryan, Kim’s 12-year-old adopted special needs son. “I suggested that she come here where we have better medical care.” LeVie says.
International help paid for Hope’s nine surgeries in Sarajevo and for her care, travel and all other requirements to get her to Canada and to the LeVies.
“This little dog coming into our home has completely changed our family. She’s brought us closer together. She’s brought this calmness and peace into our home … there’s laughter in our house again.”
by Carmela Fragomeni
(Source: Torstar News Service)