Kitimat's Cocoa the wonder dog defies odds, amputation cancelled

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Cocoa, the dog once facing amputation after a traumatic leg injury, is now thriving at the Kitimat Humane Society—running, playing and winning hearts as he nears the final stages of recovery.

“He’s doing really good, but there is still some healing that needs to happen,” said shelter manager Maryann Ouellet. “His skin is still regenerating but his leg is more weight-bearing.”

Cocoa arrived at the shelter in May after being surrendered from a nearby community. Tangled in a running line for days after a fire near his home, he came in with a swollen, infected leg and a grim prognosis. Vets initially feared the limb was unsalvageable due to a lack of blood flow, and an amputation was scheduled.

“The infection itself was beyond anything I’ve ever smelled,”