She greeted every traveler with a wagging tail, but no one knew the pain she was hiding—until rescuers uncovered her secret.
When Juneau first showed up at a local gas station, it was as if she was reporting for her first day at a new job. She worked the crowd and greeted every single traveller who passed through as if they were a friend she’d known for years. For weeks, she received lots of pets and several snacks, earning her keep — all the while hiding a painful secret.
Rescuers with Manitoba Underdogs Rescue heard about Juneau and started asking around and quickly learned that her owner was no longer able to care for her properly. Juneau herself was struggling, too, limping badly and unable to properly use one of her legs. She greeted the gas station patrons with such gusto every day, despite being in so much pain.
“We found her owner, who, due to health challenges, made the tough decision to surrender her to [our] rescue,” Manitoba Underdogs Rescue wrote on Instagram. “And when our team rolled into town for a community outreach trip? There was Juneau, waiting for us like she had already packed her bags.”
Manitoba Underdogs Rescue
The first order of business after rescuing Juneau was getting her checked over and assessed. Besides being a little underweight, she was mostly in good health — other than her leg, which she was unable to use due to a fracture that healed out of place.
Juneau will need to have surgery to amputate her leg, which was determined after her case was reviewed by a board-certified surgeon. Until then, she’s enjoying her time at the rescue and is absolutely thriving in their care.
“Juneau is the absolute sweetest girl and has such a zest for life,” Jessica Hansen, executive director of Manitoba Underdogs Rescue, told The Dodo. “Her playful side has really come out, which has made it difficult to keep her a bit quieter with her leg!”
Juneau is good around dogs, cats, kids — basically anyone and everyone. She’s just a happy-go-lucky, loving girl and will make the perfect addition to pretty much any family.
While Juneau has resigned her position as gas station greeter, she can’t wait to start her new one — as a full-time family member for one very lucky family.
