San Diego Police Detective Who Lost Leg Adopts Double Amputee Dog

SAN DIEGO, CA — A San Diego police detective who lost his leg in a motorcycle crash has adopted a dog that underwent a partial amputation of both of her back feet, the San Diego Humane Society announced Tuesday.

Detective James "Chappie" Hunter fostered Chloe, a 9-year-old Shih Tzu, at his family's Alpine home after she completed her three-month recovery at the organization's Escondido campus. Hunter and his family have decided to adopt the dog.

Hunter lost his leg in a 2013 crash in Alpine. After a year of recovery, he returned to work with a prosthetic leg.

Chloe and Roxy, a 13-year-old Chihuahua, were rescued in March from a home in Mira Mesa.

"To prevent them from licking and scratching, their owner bandage-wrapped their back paws so tightly that it cut off blood flow," San Diego Humane Society spokesperson Kelli Schry said. "As a result, both dogs suffered severe injuries and the veterinarians at San Diego Humane Society had to make the difficult decision to amputate their feet."

Chloe had both of her back feet partially amputated. Roxy had her left hind foot partially amputated, and her right hind foot needed multiple weeks of bandaging followed by a skin flap procedure in order to be saved, Schry said.

Chloe was eventually fitted with orthopedic slippers for both her back legs, and Roxy has a custom prosthetic device on her left leg. Roxy is currently in a foster home and likely has another month in her recovery, Schry said.