In
the summer of of 2002, ARFP rescued a 4 month old black lab mix who was living
on the streets of downtown Greensboro. Despite being left to survive on his own,
Vinny was a good natured dog and an absolute joy to be around. It seemed certain
that he would soon find a loving, permanent home.A few months after his rescue, though, Vinny developed a limp in his left front leg. He was taken to the vet for an examination, and after that to orthopedic surgeons. After many such visits, ARFP learned that Vinny had a growth defect in the bone in that leg. As difficult a decision as it was, the doctors agreed that amputating the leg was the best solution to ensure a painfree life for Vinny. And ARFP knew it was the right choice to make.
Vinny
underwent surgery and began his recovery. While he had always been good natured,
he became even more affectionate after his operation, reaffirming that the
decision to amputate his leg was the right one. He stole the heart of everyone
he met with
his loving nature and friendly disposition. Now known as "the three-legged dog",
Vinny never let his disability bother him. He would run and jump and climb
stairs as fast as any four legged animal, and even participated in the 2003
Human Race to help raise money to save more homeless animals like himself. 
Vinny
stayed in foster care with ARFP for almost two years until he found a family
that immediately fell in love with him and made him part of their family. And
while he took a piece of our hearts with him when he went to his new home, Vinny
reminds us all why we do this -- to help those who cannot help themselves.
Without the love and care of ARFP volunteers and the support of our generous
donors, Vinny may not have received the medical care that he so desperately
needed or been given the second chance to find his forever home.