Fixing this puppy is no small feat

YAKIMA, Wash. -- There's no telling what would have become of 7-week-old Angel if not for the volunteers.

Angel, a black pit bull puppy with white markings on her face, was born without rear paws. Her owners sold the other pups in the litter. But who would want a dog with defective paws?

Angel's fate was uncertain until her owners contacted a Union Gap animal rescue group -- Wags to Riches Animal Rescue and Sanctuary -- that agreed to help.

And the help happened fast.

Within days, the organization linked Angel with specialists in California who will fit her with prosthetics, even booking her a free flight to get there. Also lined up is a foster owner who will eventually find the pawless pooch a permanent home.

On Thursday at the Yakima Air Terminal, Angel was stowed on a plane headed for Bend, Ore., for an overnight stay. Today, Angel flies to Northern California.

"It's an amazing chain of events for a 7-week-old puppy with no feet," said animal rescue volunteer Becky Pascua. "A lot of people came together for this puppy."

After getting the call from the owners, Wags to Riches began networking on the Internet, looking for volunteers who specialize in helping special-needs dogs.

"We were desperate, because I felt like we really needed to (help Angel) and get her a good life," said volunteer Stacy Hunt.

Hunt tracked down an animal hospital in Utah that located a woman in Northern California who specializes in pit bulls with special needs.

She also tracked down a group of private pilots -- Pilot N Paws -- that volunteer to transport rescued animals to places that correspond with their scheduled flights, Hunt said.

Angel spent her last days in Yakima with Hunt, enjoying the friendly confines of her backyard, playing in the grass and nibbling on plants.

"The funny thing about her is she doesn't know she's special," Hunt said. "She just hops along through the grass. She hops along like a rabbit."

Chances are good that Angel will find a permanent home.

"There are people who specifically look to adopt special-needs dogs," Pascua said.

* Phil Ferolito can be reached at 509-577-7749 or pferolito@yakimaherald.com.