RALEIGH -- When Christie Fernandez's husband found an injured yellow lab lying in a ditch along a road between Knightdale and Wendell, they named him Toby and stepped in to help.
"I can't imagine Toby being left there in pain and just left to die," she said.
The dog suffered a broken jaw and other injuries.
"He was in a lot of pain. You could tell," said Fernandez. "One of his canines, which was very long, was hanging out of his mouth."
Wearing only a red collar without tags, the dog's owner was nowhere to be found. So the family brought him to Quail Corners Animal Hospital for surgery.
Fernandez then took to social media to raise the $4,000 needed to pay for his medical bills. The outpouring of support was instant.
"I'm just so overwhelmed by the community's love that helped me because I felt so helpless. I knew it was going to be a lot of money to take care of him, but I had to find a way to save him," said Fernandez.
As Toby continues to heal, he's not in the clear yet. Nerve damage in his leg is causing him to limp. If it doesn't heal soon, it may need to be amputated.
"They're pulling for Toby. They want him to make it and recover. He has a lot of love out there," said Fernandez.
Here are the links to learn more about Toby and help:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toby-Fernandez/1526218060947433?ref=ts&fref=ts
http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-toby-get-medical-care/240396