'He was mine and I'm his': Florida man with prosthetic leg adopts 3-legged dog
For one man in Sumter County, Florida, a bond started with a search for a friend, and the one he ultimately found needed some extra special care.
"I recently went through a separation, and I moved down here to Florida from Kentucky, and it was lonely," said Steve Rodgers, a resident of Sumter County.
When Rodgers looked to foster a dog at Sumter County Animal Services, the shelter found a loving one, but the dog was going through a lot. He had a severe leg injury and needed surgery to have the leg removed.
"I said, 'Well, that's not a problem. OK, so that would be perfect; he would be slow enough so I could walk with him,'" said Rodgers. "Being an amputee, I can understand what he's going to have to go through."
Rodgers lost his leg several years ago due to health issues, and he knew the dog needed special care. He adopted the dog and named his new companion Little Red.
"I knew what he was going to go through and what he’s going to go through for the rest of his life," said Rodgers. "I was going to be there, and he didn't have to worry about it that he was mine and I'm his."
Rodgers hopes his story inspires others to help animals.
"They need homes," said Rodgers.
Like shelters across the country, Sumter County Animal Services struggles with overcrowding, as well as a lack of adoptions and foster parents.
"Normally, summer numbers will go up, so, like, we're anticipating that," said Samantha Blixt, kennel supervisor at Sumter County Animal Services.
The shelter currently has almost 170 dogs and more than 60 cats.
"These are community animals," said Blixt. "These are animals that are homeless, like, we are caring for them here, but at the same time, they're in need of a home."
Rodgers said adopting one can create a new beginning — one with hope and healing.
"[Little Red and I] are a perfect team," said Rodgers. "So we're going to go get an RV, and we're going to travel around the country and enjoy life."
waives adoption fees. It is open seven days a week but is closed Tuesday and Wednesday for animal intakes.
