THE EXTRA MILE
A broken puppy gets a second chance—and a loving home
Jordan Kownacki has always been an animal lover. A former volunteer at San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido Campus, Kownacki was already the proud pet mom of Roofus, an 8-year-old terrier mix she rescued via Craigslist at seven weeks old, and Kiki, a stray cat found covered in oil outside an auto body shop. You could say Kownacki has a huge heart for animals with hard starts—and you’d be right.
“I just know I can give them a better life,” she says. “That’s all I want for them—
because you never know what they went through before.”
Kownacki will never know what Penny went through before she arrived at SDHS, broken, scared and alone. But she does know that whatever happened, you’d never tell by looking at her.
Found by humane officers on the side of the road at seven months old, Penny arrived at San Diego Humane Society with two badly broken legs and a dislocated hip. While no one is certain what caused her injuries, the puppy was likely hit by a car. Palomar Medical Center donated specialized surgical equipment and Dr. Katy Fryer, a surgical specialist at Veterinary Specialty Hospital, provided expert care; just two examples of the generosity of the animal medical community that partners with SDHS.
“The surgeons did an amazing job and she truly made a miraculous recovery,” she says. “You would never know by her demeanor or her personality that anything happened to her. She’s the happiest dog and she has no limitations.”
Now roughly a year old, Penny romps around with her best friend, Roofus, and even gives otherwise-shy Kiki a run for her money. As for Kownacki, it was love at first sight, and she and Penny have a bond that’s unbreakable—just like Penny’s spirit.
“Sometimes when you look into an animal’s eyes, you just know,” she says. “From the moment I met her, she ran right up to me, rolled on her back, and gave me kisses. It was the sweetest connection.”
SHARE YOUR STORY: If you have an adoption story you’d like to share, email us at casey@sandiegopetsmagazine.com with a photo of your pet for possible inclusion in a future issue.