Wisconsin dog rescued after I-41 overpass fall

article

Stella recovering from fall off I-41 overpass (Courtesy: WHS)

MILWAUKEE - A dog from northeast Wisconsin is recovering after she ran away from home and leaped off an I-41 overpass last month. 

The backstory:

The Wisconsin Humane Society said huskies are "outlandishly smart, determined, and agile athletes who are notorious for escaping." For one husky named Stella, that determination led to a dangerous situation.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

Stella ran away from home on the afternoon of March 23. The humane society said she got onto I-41 that night and leaped off an overpass, falling 30 feet onto Shawano Avenue below.

Good Samaritans saw what happened and called police. An animal control officer captured Stella and rushed her to an emergency veterinarian in Appleton.

Apparent gunshot

Dig deeper:

The Wisconsin Humane Society said Stella had no broken limbs, but veterinarians found metal fragments from an apparent gunshot. The circumstances of how she'd been shot are not known. She had internal bleeding and severe damage to her lungs and chest, which the organization said are most likely from the impact of her fall.

Since her rescue, the humane society said Stella's treatment has included multiple X-rays and major open-chest surgery. She's now continuing to recover at the WHS Green Bay campus.

Wisconsin Humane Society

How to help

What's next:

The humane society said Stella's family had already been in the process of trying to find her a new home when she ran away, and they decided to surrender her to the organization.

Stella will be under the Wisconsin Humane Society's veterinary care for a while longer, but the organization said it will announce when she's ready for her next home. 

What you can do:

The Wisconsin Humane Society is collecting donations to help cover the costs of Stella's mounting medical bills.