Name/Age: Diego - exact age unknown maybe 2 1/2
Family Members: Timothy (dad), Michelle (mom), Yuuki (human sister) 19 yrs old, Autumn (dog sister-we call her a dagle which is a dachshund/beagle mix) 9 1/2 yrs old and Chara (cat-sister Maine Coon mix) 5 yrs old
How long has Diego been in the family? a year ago on 10/30/21
Profession: Dad-Telecommunications engineer & Mom-Accountant
Location: Marietta, GA.
Nicknames: D, Dirty Diego, Buddy, Dude & No Sir
5 words/phrases that best describe Diego?
Intelligent
Expressive
Intense
Inquisitive
Snuggler
What makes Diego unique? The look on his face as he looks into my eyes that let’s me know that he loves me.
Speeding around corners!
Rescue Story: Back in October 2020, a plea was posted online by 11-Alive that Cobb County Animal Shelter had an outbreak of strep and that they did not have enough space to keep the new animals so, they were doing parking lot adoptions. My thought was to go and see if there was a senior dog that we could help. Yuuki went with me and as we are driving said we should try to get a dog that needs help. When we arrived, we were led to the side of the building where there were 5 dogs in outside fenced pens. Diego (previously named Darius) was in the last one. We asked about senior dogs, but they said all were adopted out. We saw that Diego had a blue bandage wrap and Yuuki told me to ask about him. I did. I was told that he was hit by a car. I asked age and exactly what was wrong with the leg. She stated 2-3 years. They stated they took X-rays and the wrap needed to be replaced. As I went to go to the front to adopt him, I was told that the fee was waived because I was willing to take on the responsibility for him. He played like crazy that Friday-Tuesday. I took him to our regular vet on Tuesday to get him checked out and the wrapped replaced. She immediately came and told me that there was dead skin under the bandage and since the leg was never set, he needed immediate surgery, or the leg was going to need to be amputated. After surgery and debt his leg was fixed up. It is so hard to keep a pup off his feet. Right before his surgery follow-up appointment, I had Diego on leash in the backyard and a critter ran by; he and Autumn gave chase. He broke the metal plate and his leg again. We decided this time to amputate. In all, Diego spent the 1st 5 months of his new life with us recovering and we ended up in debt for right around $5K. It took him no time at all to be proficient with 3 legs.
The dog formally known as Darius
What is your favorite pastime as a family? Diego loves fetch, only his version involves him not retrieving the ball because he has a ball in his mouth already and he does not catch the ball because he runs as though he has 4 legs and begins to slip, slide and fall his way to the ball.
What is life like since you rescued Diego? We are newly empty nesters and his youth has breathed excitement into our daily lives. Because he spent so much time recovering in those first months, to help keep him settled, I would sit on the couch and let him sit on me and snuggle. Now, it is a nightly requirement that both of us enjoy. He has established an entire routine around our working from home and keeps me hoping all day long.
Photographers Note: To say Diego has adapted to life as a tripod is an understatement. This happy exuberant boy just loves life and does what he wants. Witnessing him play ball, his speed and agility is really impressive. I mean when you see the muscle in his back leg (see evidence below - zoom in), you can understand where that comes from and how it helps him navigate. Now yes, he may have some difficulty with sharp turns and when he greeted me, he wanted to lean against me with the side missing the leg; which caused him to tumble a bit, but this boy clearly doesn’t let anything get him down. Along with this happy & affectionate personality he is a hunk as well. Really could have photographed this boy all day. At the end of our shoot, his family very sweetly allowed me to love on him for a bit while sitting on their kitchen floor & chatting about all things Diego! What a special boy who had a rough start but is enjoying life to the fullest now.
Strong boy!