BEREA, Ohio — A 4-month-old puppy allegedly thrown from a third-story window on July 6 is recovering well, according to the Berea Animal Rescue.
Berea Animal Rescue executive director Jennifer McCarty told me the puppy, Luna Mae, was transported to MedVet Cleveland, where she was cared for before their shelter stepped in to help.
"We can confirm that our MedVet Cleveland team provided extensive care to Luna Mae for injuries sustained after she reportedly fell out of a window. Along with treating her physical injuries, the team provided lots of love and attention, including iPad time for mental stimulation throughout the time she was with us," MedVet vice president of communications Sarah Berger told me via email.
McCarty believes a police report was filed when the incident happened, but neither the animal rescue nor MedVet knew where.
I reached out to several law enforcement agencies in Cuyahoga County for information. One department said it sounded like the incident involving Luna Mae happened in Lorain County, so I reached out to several departments there as well.
No one has been able to confirm a location as of Monday night.
McCarty said Luna Mae suffered two traumatic leg breaks as well as cuts and abrasions to her face.
"She was casted up on the front leg and then the back leg. The way it was broken, there really wasn't anything we could do. Just had to try to let it heal and hope we could save that leg," McCarty said.
The animal rescue's original estimate for Luna Mae's medical costs was $2,000.
McCarty said the total cost was looking to be around $6,000 when I last talked to her.
"Now that we're seeing more orthopedists, it's going to be a little bit more," she told me. "Orthopedists aren't cheap. We've thought about amputating her leg, but because she's growing, we're trying to make sure we do the right thing for her future health."
Amputating Luna Mae's back leg still isn't off the table, but McCarty said the rescue is working through every other option before that.
The initial $2,000 request has been met through crowdfunding.
"This community always comes through in a time of crisis. We put the call out, and we raised it in probably less than a day, and money is still coming in because I'll tell you, our community knows not only does Luna Mae need help, there's always gonna be the next Luna Mae, unfortunately," McCarty said.
McCarty said Luna Mae's situation is sadly not a first-of-a-kind case for the animal rescue. Knowing that it will continue to be the case, though, she told me the rescue will always say yes to intakes.
"We have a very small staff. There's only four of us that are full-time, and then I think I've got a staff of about 11, but we have nearly 400 volunteers and probably 100 foster families," McCarty said. "It's truly a village."
One of those foster families, Donna and Ken Federer, has welcomed Luna Mae into their home the last few weeks.
"After we had lost our two dogs this year, we decided to start going around to different shelters and looking at dogs," Ken said. "When we came to [Berea Animal Rescue], this was the first dog that they had shown us, and she had a cone around her head. She was in a cage in a room with just one other dog. She had these sad eyes when she was looking at us with that donut around her neck. I guess it was just a first impression type of a thing."
Donna and Ken describe Luna Mae as the sweetest dog they've had.
"Luna gets three different medications a day. She gets anxiety pills, she gets pain pills, and she gets anti-inflammatory pills, so we have to give her those pills three times a day. We don't let her jump around too much, but there are occasions when she just chases a butterfly or something like that. We try to keep her under control so she doesn't hurt herself anymore," Ken said.
In the short time they've cared for her, Ken said there have been major improvements.
When I sat with Luna Mae a couple of weeks ago, she was already out of the front leg cast and donut. She does have a limp, but overall, Luna Mae is looking much better.
Ken and Donna plan to adopt Luna Mae once she is medically cleared.
"She definitely didn't deserve what happened to her. What could she have done? Pee on the floor, maybe then got what she got? She's been excellent. She's been great. She's enhanced our lives," Ken said.
The Berea Animal Rescue is always accepting donations. If you'd like to donate, click HERE.
There will be a fundraiser at The Local Bar in Strongsville on Saturday, Aug. 8, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., where proceeds will go to the animal rescue.
There will be live music, raffle baskets, a 50/50 raffle, an ice cream truck and even a dunk tank.
Berea Animal Rescue pups will also be there for meet-and-greets.
"I want people to realize that animals need care, and they need a home, and they need someone to love them unconditionally. They're gonna make mistakes just like kids, but you need a heart to give to them," Donna said.
Throughout the month of August, customers of the new Flamingos Coffee Cafe in Columbia Township will also get an opportunity to make a difference. One dollar from all purchases of a drink called "The Charlie" will go to the Berea Animal Rescue.
"If you want a dog, go to your local shelter and see what they got. There's a lot of love out there in the shelters, and you can donate. Do anything to help them because they need help just as much as everybody else does," Ken said.
