TAMPA, Fla. — After more than 10 years in the animal rescue business, Cecilia Nieves has seen it all, and she doesn't use the word "miracle" lightly.
"Our mission is [to help the] critically ill or injured," she said.
But when it comes to a recent rescue named Papaya, "miracle," is the only word that makes sense.
"With the amount of trauma that he had, it's a miracle that he even made it," she said.
Nieves said the 20-pound stray is dealing with two broken legs, a dislocated hip, extensive internal injuries and road rash that stretches across half of his body after being hit by a car twice over Labor Day weekend.
"It's even when you look at x-rays like how did this bone break, but the one next to it didn't break? He's an impressive little case altogether," said Nieves.
She told ABC Action News that Pasco County Animal Services did the initial triage to stabilize him, before handing him over to her group Animalluvr's Dream Rescue.
Since then, he's undergone several procedures at the Veterinary Emergency Group in Tampa. And Nieves said he will need many more, especially for that road rash.
"They're talking about possibly skin grafts, depending because it's such a big wound. So the wound care alone is going to be a couple [of] weeks worth," she said.
In the end, Nieves said it will likely take $10,000 to $20,000 and months of care before Papaya is healthy enough to be put up for adoption. And as they fundraise to get that care covered, Nieves is also calling on other pet owners to do their part so rescues like hers can focus on other "miracle" cases.
"As far as what to get out to the people is just be a responsible pet owner themselves so there's less for us to try to help and we can focus on those that truly need us the most," she said.
To learn more about how to donate to Papaya's case, head to the rescue's website.
