Animals in Need: the fund that saved Sandy the dachshund
Daniel Furina and his dog, Sandy
Sandy the dachshund has been part of the Furina family since she was a puppy.
鈥淲e think she鈥檚 part-human, to be honest. She has a real happy outlook,鈥� says owner Charlie Furina, an electrician and single father who lives in Camden with his children, Tiana, 19, and Daniel, 16. 鈥淪andy is Daniel鈥檚 little sidekick. Wherever he is, she鈥檚 there.鈥�
One night, about five months ago, Charlie let the dog out of the house for her usual run. 鈥淏ut then I started calling and she wouldn鈥檛 come,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 calling and calling and starting to get a bit concerned.
Then finally, she comes around the corner, but she鈥檚 limping and she doesn鈥檛 look happy. I pick her up and she lets out a kind of scream. I didn鈥檛 know what had happened, but there was a bit of blood.鈥�
When he took Sandy to the University of Sydney鈥檚 , the extent of her injuries became clear. Her back leg had broken in three places and her pelvis was fractured. The vets suspected she had fought with a fox.
Her injuries were so severe that the only options were to amputate her leg or put her down. Charlie knew it would break his son鈥檚 heart if Sandy died, but he couldn鈥檛 afford the surgery on her leg.
He left Sandy with the vets overnight while he tried to decide how to tell his children their dog wouldn鈥檛 be coming home. 鈥淚t was gut-wrenching,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 spent most of the next day trying to work out what to say to the kids. I don鈥檛 usually show too much emotion but, I can tell you, I wasn鈥檛 happy.鈥�
Charlie knew it would break his son鈥檚 heart if Sandy died, but he couldn鈥檛 afford the surgery on her leg.
Charlie and Daniel Furina with Sandy, now recovered from her injuries.聽
He still hadn鈥檛 spoken to the children when the veterinary hospital called. They told him the University could cover the cost of the surgery through the . Launched by the in 2012, the donor-supported fund helps the University鈥檚 teaching hospitals treat animals whose owners cannot afford for pay for their care. The fund also supports treatment for strays and injured wildlife.
For Charlie and his family, the assistance from the Animals in Need fund was 鈥渁n unbelievable blessing鈥�. Sandy鈥檚 surgery went smoothly and she adapted quickly to life on three legs.
鈥淪he runs, she jumps and she plays with other dogs,鈥� says Charlie. 鈥淪he can鈥檛 jump onto the beds anymore, but it hasn鈥檛 stopped her jumping on the lounge. She鈥檚 a spoilt little princess.鈥�
On 17 September, we celebrated University donors with Thank You Day.聽
