Recovering, lovable Vinny needs new home

YOUNGSTOWN — Mere weeks ago, Vinny was malnourished, injured and without a home, but some would still consider the boxer mix one lucky dog.

According to Charlene DePalma, Vinny’s story, at least the part anyone knows of, started one evening several weeks ago when the year-old pooch wandered onto the parking lot of the Center for Dialysis Care in Howland. He crawled under the car of a co-worker and refused to come out.

DePalma, a woman with a love for dogs so great it is reflected in her “K-9 MOM” license plates, called police, who informed employees at the facility that the dog had been hit by a car earlier that day on U.S. Route 46, but had run off before authorities had arrived.

The Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County took possession of Vinny, but he was almost doomed because of his appearance.

DePalma, her co-worker Melissa Readman, under whose car Vinny first sought refuge, and a close friend, Katie Costello, went to work raising funds for Vinny’s care.

DePalma is asking that anyone with the time and space who is interested in giving Vinny a home call her at (330) 501-9426.

For the complete story, see Sunday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.