Sophie's not out of the woods, but there is daylight

Sophie, her left hind leg raised to avoid the pain when it touches the floor, needs your help. (Harrison Thorp photo)

LEBANON - The MacGowns were looking for a Christmas miracle and with the help of many donors from around the area and one very special animal lover from Lebanon, they might just have gotten it.

Sophie, the family pet, was struck on Dec. 13 by a hit-and-run driver near their Jim Grant Road home.

Her left hind leg was broken and the veterinarian bill for the surgery is more than $3,000, far beyond the financial means of Robin MacGown, a single mom who works full time at the Sanford Walmart.

What makes things worse is MacGown has recently fallen on hard times, losing her home to foreclosure and going through bankruptcy.

Sophie was initially treated at an emergency care veterinarian in Portsmouth and MacGown paid the more-than $700 bill with some of her rent money. Since then she’s been trying to raise money to pay for Sophie’s surgery. Her gofundme.com account has raised about $900 so far, but that’s far from what she needs.

Meanwhile, Sophie’s swollen and disfigured leg continues to try to heal, but not in the right way, MacGown said on Saturday.

“She’s feeling better, it’s trying to heal, but it’s not healing correctly,” MacGown said frowning.

Sophie, a year-old Mastiff/Rottweiler mix, needs another appointment and more X-rays to see exactly how her bones and tissue are healing and figure out the next best step on her path to walking again. That will happen on Tuesday after an anonymous Lebanon man agreed to pay for the appointment at Milton Veterinarian Clinic.

The man’s donation will allow the “Sophie Fund” to stay intact as they look to raise the necessary funds for an operation to heal Sophie.

MacGown said it’s unclear if the donor is intent on paying the difference needed to pay for the needed operation, but she’s hopeful and she knows another set of X-rays is the first step.

As far as Sophie, she’s her sweet, adorable self, stretching out flat on her back to get her tummy rubbed and soak up some attention.

She refuses to stay behind her makeshift kitchen-chair enclosure, instead hopping good-naturedly around the kitchen on three legs.

MacGown said they try to keep her calm, because even if she doesn’t step on her injured leg, the movement will exacerbate the swelling and make her uncomfortable.

If you would like to donate to the Sophie Fund go to http://www.gofundme.com/5uekq4.