According to Christine Schrader, Park County Animal Control Officer Terry Remenius took the initial report and left immediately to look on the back roads for Sable. Unfortunately, the search proved fruitless. Remenius called the Schraders at their home in Golden on June 1 to say that, sadly, Sable was still missing and the outlook was grim. Eleven-year-old daughter Brenna was heartbroken.
Just one day later, there was a break. The family calls it a miracle. Park County Deputy Jeff DeBerry located the year-old Belgian Malinois mix near Grant, about 10 miles from where she had jumped from the truck. With one leg broken and another with serious nerve damage, Sable had managed to survive the wilds of Park County high country for 8 days. DeBerry took Sable to Bailey Pet Clinic for emergency evaluation. Immediate surgery was needed to repair the injured legs. In order to avoid delay, Evergreen Animal Rescue advanced the funding to pay for the surgery which was performed at Hermosa Veterinary Clinic. The deputy personally called the family with the good news.
Sable returned home from the hospital on June 8 to a joyous reunion with her grateful family. "There is a lot of gratitude from our family for all the officers who helped this miracle happen. Our 11-year old daughter smiles again and we are all so relieved to have Sable home," said Christine Schrader. Park County Animal Control has followed up with calls to the family to check on Sable's condition.
Sable's tail was apparently uninjured in the fall, as the family reports healthy wagging whenever someone enters the room. As expected, daughter Brenna is thrilled to have her friend home, saying, "It's amazing that Sable came home. I thought I would never see her again when it had been a week. I love Sable with all my heart and we are like twins personality wise. If she were human she would be just like me. Also I would like to say thank you to everyone who helped us. You've been very kind to us and I appreciate it. I don't know what we would do without you. This is definitely a miracle."
Update: June 16-17, 2005
Sable's first check up after surgery was Wednesday, June 15. The leg is healing well after surgery and the vet plans to remove the pin in about 6 weeks. Stitches are scheduled to come out next week. The vet prescribed cortisone to help the nerve in the front leg heal. "She's strangely mobile on two legs, but is using the left side more each day," Mrs. Schrader reports. Sable spends most of her day in the front yard lying on the grass with Brenna often at her side.
Update: June 23, 2005
Brenna's answer is "rockin'" when asked how she and Sable are doing. Sable's stitches are out as of June 22 and she's healing well. There's also more use of the front leg that suffered nerve damage. Good sign! According to the vet, it could take up to a year for full recovery. Her injuries didn't interfere with the 3-hour demolition of a knuckle bone, a gift from Brenna yesterday. The family is delighted to see Sable's personality begin to re-emerge from the lethargy that has been so evident during her early recuperation.
Related: Denver Post Story
