"I was standing a few feet away, and she darted into the street," Smith said.
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Suddenly, Lady stepped into the street, and moments later, she was struck by a speeding car.
"They just kept on going. I guess they were scared I would do something to them," Smith said.
Owner seeks help after pup suffers from costly injury
He took Lady to a veterinary clinic in Pearland. She had no internal injuries, but her left rear leg was broken.
"The break is at a joint," Smith said he was told. "The doctor told me to take her to a specialist.
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Smith retired a few years ago, and has exhausted his resources recently. The replacement for his central air and furnace, as well as a car repair, totaled nearly $10,000.
He explained his financial situation to the vet.
"It was like, 'What am I gonna do,'" Smith said. "But God works in remarkable ways."
A client overhead the conversation, and contacted Smith.
"I never met her before and she said she wanted to help me," said Smith.
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Melissa Arnold set up a GoFundMe account, and donated money to it herself.
"I'm praying people will see it," Smith said. "She's part of our family. I love dogs and it hurts me to see her in pain."
Smith got his wish. The GoFundMe has raised over $5,000.
Lady is confined to a blanket in her kennel, to keep her off her broken leg. Smith said he will speak to the vet about what specialist the puppy needs to see. Smith plans to sleep on the couch beside her kennel again tonight.
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