Duke helps three-legged Beatrice to recuperate

MARF volunteer Terry Duke helps Beatrice with stretching exercises. Beatrice’s leg was amputated after a car ran over her. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Terry Duke, a volunteer with Madison Animal Rescue Foundation (MARF), has assumed the roles of nurse, physical therapist and confidant for Beatrice.

Duke is a “specialty foster mom” who works with MARF’s sick or high-care fosters. “I usually take emergency, short-term infant bottle-feeders,” Duke said.

Around July 4, people called MARF about “sightings of a stray ‘Benji-looking” dog on Wall-Triana and around Kroger,” Duke said. Someone saw a car hit the dog, which then ran away. Other people saw the dog limping.

Finally on July 6, the dog, named ‘Beatrice’ for ‘blessed voyager,’ was caught and taken to Cornerstone Veterinary Hospital. Dr. James Waite immediately started antibiotics. Now at a healthy 20 pounds, Beatrice “has a beagle’s coloring and floppy ears but a terrier’s coat. She’s three to five years old and very playful,” Duke said.

Not ready for adoption, Beatrice is recovering from several surgeries, leg amputation and “trauma from the car accident that caused soft-tissue damage,” Duke said. “We work every day to strengthen her leg muscles and walk for roughly 45 minutes.”

To help Beatrice as a “tripod,” Duke designed a “pup-sling” harness with a neoprene and Velcro fastener. The harness fits around Beatrice’s chest and has a long handle so Duke can guide Beatrice in finding her new center-of-gravity.

Beatrice wears T-shirts instead of an unwieldy cone as stitches heal from her surgeries. (CONTRIBUTED)

Beatrice has exhibited “a strong will and above average intelligence to survive. Where did she live? What did she eat?” Duke said. “Beatrice loves to ‘talk’ to you. She’s very funny and even plays peek-a-boo.” Good with children and other animals, Beatrice has bonded with Belle, Duke’s five-pound Yorkshire terrier.

Duke’s husband Greg works as director of automated test systems at Science and Engineering Services. Their daughter Emily Duke graduated with honors from Auburn University and lives in Auburn. Daughter Hannah Carpenter is studying business at Calhoun Community College. Son Noah is a Calhoun freshman.

For information about Beatrice’s adoption, visit madisonarf.org or a MARF adoption at Petco in Madison on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.