Friday, October 06, 2006

Injured Dog Limps Into Hospital Waiting Room

An injured 6-year-old German shepherd mix limped into a hospital waiting room after apparently being struck by a car, according to animal control officials.

Buddy the dog limped into emergency at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Bellflower on Wednesday and sat in the waiting area at about 1 p.m., officials said.

"We were on a routine assignment, and we got a Code 2 that a dog had wandered into the hospital," said Wendy Alexander of the animal control unit. "When we walked in, he was laying on his bad hip. At that time, we didn't know that there was an injury. He was shaking. I thought, he knew he needed help, and he knew where to get it."

Hospital officials called the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority in Downey, and agency officials picked up Buddy and brought him to the shelter for treatment of a fracture.

Through an identifying microchip implanted in Buddy's skin, SEAACA officials were able to locate his owner, who adopted him from the animal shelter about five years ago. Fabian Ortega, Buddy's owner, owns a construction equipment rental business about a block from the hospital.

"We didn't teach him that," said Ortega. "I don't know how he figured that one out."

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