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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 10, 2005 Veterinary tech Jeff Goecker comforts a dog that was hit by a car on South Stage Road Monday night, suffering three broken legs. The very friendly and calm dog has no ID tags, but vets are easing his discomfort another day hoping to find his owner. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Clock ticks for injured dog By CHRIS CONRAD Mail Tribune Surviving a run-in with a car that left him lying in a ditch with three broken legs was the easy part. Tonight, a dog found Monday evening along South Stage Road may be euthanized if his owner — or someone willing to claim him — doesn’t come forward. Talent police Detective Hector Caballero was heading back to the station at the end of his shift when a dispatcher asked him to assist Jackson County Fire District 5 with an injured dog. Two people who had found the dog had taken him to the fire station after finding the Jacksonville Veterinary Hospital had closed for the night. Caballero, a dog lover with three American bull terriers of his own, arrived at the station and found one seriously beat-up — but resilient — dog. Advertisement "He was messed-up," Caballero said. "I was surprised. For being so hurt, he was pretty calm," Caballero said. Caballero agreed to transport the dog to the Southern Oregon Veterinary Specialty Center in Medford, the only 24-hour animal hospital in the Rogue Valley. Kerry Roland, of Talent, a District 5 volunteer firefighter, rode in the back of the police car with the dog. He wanted to make sure the animal had a comfortable ride to the hospital. The dog never threatened to bite anyone, Roland said. "I rubbed his neck in the car and he almost fell asleep," Roland said. The animal clinic opened in November and is owned by veterinarians Steve Ferreira and Adam Reiss. The center routinely cares for injured strays, but cannot accept healthy ones, Reiss said. It also does not do routine check-ups, vaccinations, nor does it spay or neuter pets. Reiss advises anyone who finds an injured dog to call Jackson County Animal Control or police to transport it to the center. The dog found Tuesday has no tags, but Reiss believes he is probably a pet because he is in such good physical shape. The problem comes down to cost. Because of the extent of his injuries, the dog requires thousands of dollars in surgery to fix his legs. The center is absorbing the cost of treating the dog while it waits for the owner to claim him. Doctors, who say the dog is a Rottweiler-doberman mix, have given him food and painkillers for his legs, Reiss said. "We can’t fix him because it would cost us thousands of dollars," Reiss said. "We’re doing what we can to give him more time." But the clock is ticking. "If no one comes forward today, then we’ll probably put him to sleep," Reiss said. Roland believes it would be a shame for such a "friendly" dog to die alone in the hospital after what he’s been through. "I’m more of a cat-lover, but if I could have that dog I’d take him home in a second," he said. Reach reporting intern Chris Conrad at 776-4471, or e-mail Clock ticks for injured dog ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Ready-Made Website Templates Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers dvd-r helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Computer Security Home Equity Loans Natto Kinase Nattokinase Website Hosting Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Online Casino News Air Purifiers Advertisement s