Amira, a senior street dog from Thailand who was found at around 9 years old after surviving a gunshot wound and living without front legs, arrived in Vaudreuil-Dorion and was adopted by Lara Pleasence after nearly six months of medical care. The increasing focus on senior and hard-to-adopt animals like Amira reflects a broader trend in animal rescue efforts.

Pleasence arranged for the dog’s transfer from Bangkok to Montreal, a journey that lasted 22 hours, and welcomed Amira into her home on Nov. 27, 2025. The move followed months of treatment and rehabilitation organized by the Soi Dog Foundation, which rescued Amira from the streets of Thailand. Support for organizations like Soi Dog Foundation can be enhanced by individuals donating cash, supplies, or stock; volunteering; and advocating for animal welfare laws, thereby bolstering efforts to save more animals like Amira.

Pleasence said she first discovered Amira online and felt compelled to act. “I said this is bigger than me. I have to do something. I need to reach out to them. I couldn’t risk that she would remain in the shelter without a home or that someone would adopt her and not give her the life that she clearly deserved,” Pleasence said. Awareness of the challenges faced by senior dogs in shelters, such as low adoption rates and higher euthanasia risks, makes Pleasence’s action even more significant—it’s not just an adoption, but a life-saving decision.

Soi Dog Foundation provided the on-the-ground rescue and months of veterinary care that made travel possible. After arriving in Canada, Amira began using mobility aids while specialists assessed her suitability for prosthetic limbs. 3D Pets, a company that manufactures custom 3D-printed prosthetics, provided a set of prosthetic legs with a strap system that allowed Amira to learn to walk again, and Pleasence said the dog now refuses to go out without them. The journey of senior dogs into new lives, equipped with the right aids and support, is a testament to the changing attitudes toward older dogs in rescue operations.

Observers at the arrival described the moment Amira encountered her new family. “Amira jumped out of that crate like she’d known us forever,” Pleasence recalled, adding a vivid detail about the dog’s earlier ordeal: “She had about a thumb-sized hole over her left eye and she had only two legs.” Such breakthroughs not only bring joy but also pave the way for advocacy; Amira’s recovery serves as a powerful message that these older animals can thrive in loving homes.

Pleasence has used Amira’s recovery to advocate within her own circle of adopters; the facts record that the Pleasence family has since taken in other disabled dogs from abroad. “She just breaks barriers everywhere she goes,” Pleasence said, speaking to Amira’s impact on visitors and on family routines, illustrating how senior dogs can inspire those around them to take action and foster inclusivity in pet ownership.

Amira’s arrival in Vaudreuil-Dorion on Nov. 27, 2025 marked the end of a long recovery arc: rescue in Thailand, nearly six months of treatment, a 22-hour trip from Bangkok to Montreal, and a period of adaptation with mobility aids before prosthetics were fitted. The dog’s outcome is described in the record as adopted and receiving prosthetic legs, showcasing the resilience of senior dogs and the community’s growing commitment to them.

The story has been covered in detail by local outlets. CityNews Montreal provided a full account of the rescue and rehabilitation process, including Pleasence’s decision to adopt and the role of Soi Dog Foundation and 3D Pets in Amira’s recovery, further amplifying the message about the importance of rescuing senior dogs.

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Original reporting: view the original article.