LULING – When St. Charles Parish Animal Shelter vet tech Ashley Champagne first laid eyes on Dasher, he was bruised and broken, with a fractured leg and crushed hip.

But Champagne quickly recognized the chocolate Lab’s strength and will to live after she and veterinarian Jena Troxler evaluated her extensive injuries on Friday, Dec. 18. Dasher had been brought in to the shelter after being hit by a car.

Champagne took Dasher home and stayed up with him throughout the weekend. The handsome lab was in pain but only whined when left alone. Love and attention got him through to Tuesday and an appointment with a canine orthopedic specialist.

The news was hopeful but not great. Surgery to repair Dasher’s leg and hip would cost $5,000.

Though treatment would be expensive, Champagne opted to give Dasher the second chance he deserved. The intensive surgery commenced at noon Dec. 23 and continued until 6 p.m., with Dasher receiving pins in his broken extremities.

Even though he can’t move around as well as he used to, Dasher remains a playful and outgoing one-year-old. The shelter is seeking both donations to help pay for his surgeries and a perfect forever home for this special boy. Long walks make Dasher tired and are a bit hard on his legs, so he will need a quiet home where he can relax.

Nearly four months later, Dasher is in need of a second surgery to remove some of the pins, which have migrated and are causing discomfort.

To donate or inquire about Dasher, contact the St. Charles Humane Society at 985-783-5010 or stcharles.animalcontrol@yahoo.com.