Terrier found in Dayton with broken leg now on the mend

Friday the 13th turned out to be a lucky day for Captain Jack.

The 12-pound Jack Russell terrier is getting a leg up on a new chance at life, thanks to the efforts of the Silver Springs Spay and Neuter Project.

The dog was found on Jan. 13 off Enterprise Road in Dayton, hobbling around on a broken femur.

Picked up by the Lyon County Animal Services officer, Captain Jack was kept for the required five days to give a potential owner a chance to reclaim him, said Ted Bolzle, Animal Services supervisor.

"It's a younger dog, and it's a very nice dog," he said, adding that although the dog was injured, it didn't appear to be in any distress.

Bolzle explained that the county didn't have the resources to provide medical attention for the dog, so they contacted Lee Blomquist at the Spay and Neuter Project.

"It needed internal and external pins, surgery on the leg," he said. "They had to pin it in place. One option was to amputate the leg, but the vet decided against it."

He was treated by Dr. Gary Ailes of Sierra Veterinary Hospital in Carson City. Blomquist said the veterinarian treated Captain Jack on a reduced fee.

Blomquist took over, even paying for much of the cost herself, and now the tri-colored male pooch is recuperating nicely.

She said there was no way to be sure how the dog's leg got broken.

"Who knows," she said. "He might have been hit by a car. That's the most likely possibility. It was an extremely clean break, so we don't think he got in a fight with a coyote or another dog."

In addition to care for his broken leg, Captain Jack, estimated at 1 or 2 years of age, was neutered, Blomquist said.

"He's very friendly," she said. "He spends the entire lunch hour sitting in my lap."

-- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.

You can help

• To adopt Captain Jack, call the Yerington Veterinary Hospital at (775) 463-3521.

• To donate to Captain Jack's care, send donations to the Silver Springs Spay and Neuter Project, P.O. Box 403, Silver Springs, NV 89429.