Couple’s 8,000-Mile Journey to Save Moroccan Stray Pup

Sam and Phil Simpson met Naya, a 5-month-old stray dog hit by a car, during their vacation in Morocco. The animal survived with painful injuries, including a fractured front leg that prevented it from walking on its hind legs alone, reports the website newsflare.com. "Naya was desperately trying to come towards us when we met her at the shelter in Morocco. She kept falling on her belly, but you could see her determination," says Sam, 57. The man who runs a kennel in Wirral and has been flying to the rescue of animals and caring for them for years, and his partner have decided to bring Naya to their home in Heswall, Merseyside.

After three months, the vaccines were obtained and the necessary formalities were completed for the trip. The British couple spent £200 to adopt Naya. With the help of their friend Tom Craven, Sam and Phil embarked in September on an epic 8,000-kilometer round trip from Heswall to Morocco. They arrived in the UK after spending just under £4,000 on the trip, fuel and accommodation.

A new life begins for Naya, who is now surrounded by other dogs adopted by the couple: four pugs, two greyhounds and a Labrador. "She is such a sweet creature and she loves to meet people. As soon as she sees someone new, her tail starts wagging," describes Sam. After a recent visit to the vet, Sam and Phil learned that the surgery the animal had undergone in Morocco had not been successful. "Her right leg was fixed, but the pin didn’t work and the fracture is still there. At the top of the leg, there is a bone twist that is not properly inserted into the elbow joint. The vet also thinks her leg is twisted, which will require a lot of rehabilitation."

The couple is convinced that specialized treatment will allow Naya to walk and play again. The only problem: the costs are exorbitant. "The scan alone cost nearly £2,000," says Sam, adding that the cost of resetting the bone ranges from £4,000 to £5,000. Sam and Phil have launched an online fundraiser to cover the costs of exams, surgery and rehabilitation.

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