Margo Ann Sullivan
Rescued pet faces down freight train to save owner's
life.
At a railroad crossing in Shirley, Mass., Lilly, the pit bull,
hurdled into a race against time. The dog's owner, Christine
Spain, had collapsed on the train tracks, and the westbound
freight train was coming.
Lilly dragged her owner out of danger, but the train's front
wheel caught and crushed her paw.
The train struck Lilly a few minutes after midnight on May 3,
according to Rob Halpin, spokesman for Boston's Angell Animal
Medical Center. The dog was "critically wounded," he said but
managed to reach her owner's side. She stayed by the unconscious
woman, until help arrived.
The train engineer had seen a "frantic" dog struggling to pull
the woman to safety, but he couldn't stop the train in time,
Halpin said.
"The engineer, who asked not to be identified, was convinced the
train had struck both Christine and the dog, and realized only
after stopping and rushing to their aid that Christine was
unharmed," Halpin said. But Lilly had been badly hurt.
"The train's wheels sliced through her right foot, fractured her
pelvis in multiple locations and caused other internal injuries,"
he said.
The engineer called for help. The Shirley, Mass. animal control
officer took Lilly to a local emergency veterinary hospital and
Spain's son, Boston police Officer David Lanteigne, was notified.
He rushed the 8-year-old dog to Angell Animal Medical
Center.
Doctors amputated Lilly's right leg on May 5. She had a second
surgery to fix her pelvis and back left leg. She has a long and
difficult recovery ahead, Dr. Meg Whalen, a veterinarian with the
Angell Emergency and Critical Care Unit, said.
Halpin went on to explain Lilly "will be unable to bear weight or
walk without assistance for the first few months after her
surgery."
Halpin said Lilly is still in the hospital as of press time, but
her caregivers hoped that she would be able to go home
soon.
"We're hoping," Halpin said. "She's improving, and we're hoping
to get her back to some semblance of her former self. But, of
course, she'll have to learn to walk again."
Lanteigne said Lilly will go home with him. Spain will also move
in while Lilly is recovering.
"Lilly means the world to my mother," Lanteigne said. He adopted
Lilly from a shelter several years ago as a companion for Spain,
who has suffered from alcoholism.
Spain "doted on the dog from the moment she came to live with
her," he said. The bond with the dog first changed and then saved
Spain's life.
Whalen thinks Lilly will also make it.
Lilly's bravery "has captured the hearts of our entire staff,"
she said.
How to Help: Because of the severity of Lilly's injuries
and the extensive treatment she required, the MSPCA-Angell has
provided financial aid through its Pet Care Assistance program to
help cover the cost of Lilly's care. In addition to supporting
other MSPCA programs, Pet Care Assistance provides financial aid
to families whose animals need emergency, intermediate and
critical care at Angell.
Readers who would like to donate to
Pet Care Assistance can visit
www.mspca.org/helplilly.
Pictured: Lilly, an 8-year-old pit bull, underwent emergency
surgery after a freight train struck her. The dog pulled her
owner, Christine Spain, to safety after Spain collapsed and fell
unconscious on the track. (Photo Courtesy of
MSPCA-Angell)