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Cynthia Davis
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
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January 14, 2007--Dog lover Roger Caras once said: “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” A Lawrence Kansas woman believes just that. Cynthia Davis began a web site for folks whose dogs have had a run of bad luck. And from experience she knows what she’s talking about. |
In Lawrence, Kansas walking a dog is a popular pastime. Most people walk the four-legged kind. But in the city that is the home to KU, it is ok to be different.
“It was just love at first sight.”
When Cynthia and Kurt Davis walk their dog…the walks are shorter. That’s because her dog Cassie, is missing a leg.
“People think that we’re spoiling her rotten. And the reason why we got the carrier is that we’re ‘kooks’.
Not ‘kooks’ just caring people. 13 years ago Cynthia adopted Cassie from the Humane Society. It had a front leg amputated and without adoption was sure to be put down.
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“My main goal is to change what peoples belief is about their perception of beauty. It’s not just external. But what is on the inside that is very worthwhile.”
“She has a harder time walking and you have to be careful where she steps. You have to help her up the stairs or into the car.” |
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“She doesn’t like this very much.”
Searching the Internet for information, she found virtually nothing on people dealing with amputee dogs.
So she started her own web site called Cassie’s Club. Her goal was to convince dog owners that amputation, when needed, was far better than euthanasia. |
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“They find out that three or even 2-legged can do the same things as a four legged can do.”
“Well, Cassie is probably one of my best friends because she’s always there and she doesn’t judge me when I come home from work with her smiling face and she makes a little howl for me and she’s just a lot of fun to be with all the time.” |
Now, hundreds of dog owners have joined Cassie’s Club on the internet and sent her pictures of their amputee pet and talk of the joy they have with them despite the loss of a limb.
“They look on the Internet to find any alternative to euthanasia so they can keep their pet and they find out that they can go ahead and take a limb off and they still have 99.9 percent of their pet that is perfectly wonderful for years and years so that they can enjoy.”
“She just wants to give and she just wants to love and I want to share that with everybody.” |
On her web site, Cynthia tells other dog owners what they can expect after surgery and what care the dog will need during recuperation. Here is the location of her web site:
http://people.ku.edu/~cadavis/ |
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