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The Rescue of Wendall

Wendall is a resilient pup who was abandoned in rural central Alabama. Thankfully, he was rescued by Becky, the founder of Chilton County TNR in Clanton, AL, a non-profit animal rescue organization.

He was soon placed in a loving foster home with a secure backyard. But Wendall was a curious, free-spirited pup. On Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, he managed to escape into the countryside. Tragically, he was severely injured—most likely hit by a car—suffering serious damage to his right hind leg.

Amazingly, despite his injuries, Wendall hobbled all the way back to his foster home the very next day. How he managed to find his way, injured and frightened, is something we’ll never fully understand. But his determination and strength showed the depth of his spirit.

Becky reached out to Nikki from Save A Life Pet Rescue in Oviedo, Florida for help. Nikki, who works closely with a veterinary clinic, agreed immediately to take Wendall and get him the medical care he desperately needed. That same night, Becky contacted Pilot Mike Young from PuppyRescueFlights.org to see if Wendall could join a transport flight to Florida scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 14. The flights were already full with over 30 other rescue dogs, but space was quickly made for Wendall.

Pilot Peyton Brucks, an aviation student at Auburn University, volunteered to fly her small two-seat Cessna 150 to Chilton County Airport. She picked up Wendall and another rescue pup, then flew them to Enterprise, AL, the usual rendezvous point where Alabama pilots meet Florida-based pilots.

At the Enterprise Airport, the ground crew cared for Wendall and the 29 other pups awaiting their flights. Despite his injury, Wendall was spotted hobbling around the playpen, tail wagging. For safety, he was soon moved to a quieter space so no dogs could bump his injured leg.

After about an hour, Wendall was carefully loaded into Pilot Steve VanCleve’s plane, along with several other pups, and flown to the Orlando-Apopka Airport. The remaining pups were divided among two additional planes.

At Apopka, Nikki greeted the incoming flights and took in Wendall along with the 21 other dogs she was rescuing. While the others went into her care, Wendall was immediately transported to the veterinary hospital, where a CT scan revealed the extent of his injuries. Sadly, the damage to Wendall’s leg was too severe to repair. One bone fragment was near the growth plate, making it impossible to stabilize with a pin. Dr. Jones determined that amputation was the only option, and the surgery was performed that same night.
The very next morning, on Monday, Sept. 15, at 6:15 am, Wendall woke up pain-free for the first time in days. He stood, wagged his tail, and happily devoured his breakfast.

Everyone who has met Wendall — Nikki at Save A Life, Pilot Steve and his flight crew, the ground crews, and his foster team — all agree that he’s a special pup, full of heart and resilience. Once he’s fully recovered and neutered, Wendall is sure to find a loving forever home!

Tags: Aviation