A puppy that had a tragic start is recovering from lifesaving surgery but he's not out of the woods yet.
In January, when he was just four weeks old, a 4-year-old child put Mighty Mouse into a microwave oven for about 15 seconds. The chihuahua/terrier mix suffered severe damage to his colon, anus and ears.
Doctors had to do skin grafts and muscle reconstruction to help 2 1/2 pound Mighty Mouse have a fighting chance.
"He came through well and is resting comfortably," Christina Alvarez, executive director of Hopalong animal rescue in Emeryville.
The tiny dog's strong will to live and endurance through pain earned him the name Mighty Mouse from the Hopalong staff.
The group needs $12,000 in donations to help cover the cost of pre-surgery assesment, the surgery and a study to help fund animal safety and educational programs for children.
Anyone interested in helping Mighty Mouse can donate online or send a check to:
Hopalong Animal Rescue
PO Box 27507
Oakland, CA 94602
It's still not known why the child put the puppy in the microwave.
