Nicole June Reporting
njune@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Local animal rescue Willy’s Happy Endings (WHE) has taken on a new dog with a sad, but hopeful back story.
Jia is a Collie mix, anywhere from four to six years old, who was a street dog in Taiwan. While living there she unfortunately lost both of her front paws to bear traps, and has since been crippled by the injuries. At that time Jia faced a lifetime of unhappiness in a facility with less than 
ideal conditions. Her situation was brought to the attention of WHE by a Ticket to Happiness, an organization that specializes in international pet adoptions.
“It wasn’t exactly a life or death situation because they weren’t going to euthanize, but there are some situations that are worse than death when it comes to animals,” said Rafi Johnson with WHE. “Once we saw those conditions, we knew we couldn’t just leave her there.”
Johnson and her colleagues worked with A Ticket to Happiness to secure transport for Jia to Nashville and on to Clarksville. She was then brought to Johnson’s home, where she is currently in the process of physical and emotional rehabilitation.
Johnson said Jia is doing shockingly well considering her fear of people. She is sleeping better and has not shown any signs of aggression. “She has a good temperament. Once she gets rehabbed, I think she is fully capable of making a complete turnaround,” she said.
The next hurdle in Jia’s recovery process is corrective surgery for her paws. The rescue believes her paws were either completely amputated by the bear traps or she gnawed them off to free herself. Much of the bone is missing, which has left a rough and uncomfortable edge to what remains.
“Every step that she takes right now is painful,” Johnson said.
The surgery will smooth the bones, and once it is complete she will be fitted for prosthetics, which will hopefully help her regain complete mobility. The surgery and prosthetics are costly, and the rescue will need about $5,000 to pay for everything Jia needs.
WHE asks anyone who can help to donate to Jia’s recovery. Donations can be made here.
Johnson is confident that in six months to a year Jia will be ready for adoption. WHE offers adoption nationwide, but the rescue hopes she can be adopted locally so they can keep an eye on her progress. Johnson and everyone at WHE wish the best for Jia and can’t wait to see her run and play like a normal dog.
For more information about Willy’s Happy Endings, visit their website or find them on Facebook.
For more information about A Ticket to Happiness, find them on Facebook.
See more photos and a video of Jia below:
Shelter conditions in Taiwan are far below average, and many animals are still there. Click here for photos. **WARNING: Some photos are graphic**