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Bert is getting better.

Bert the Bulldog was one of the puppies that was injured on February 9 when the transport van taking him to a new home crashed on Interstate 81. But, thanks to the quick work of the Morristown-Hamblen Humane Society and the generosity of the surrounding community, he’s on the road to recovery.

After he survived the high speed rollover crash, he had a broken leg that needed surgery in addition to a jaw injury

“Due to Bert’s severe break in his leg, he needs surgery that will need to be done by orthopedic specialist,” the Humane Society said in a public announcement.

It was revealed that the total cost for the surgery at the University of Tennessee Animal Medical Center would be around $7,000, and the call went out to raise funds.

Bert’s new owner surrendered him to the shelter due to the high cost of treatment, but people responded immediately and in a matter of days Bert was on his way to be admitted for the needed care.

“I’m just completely astounded and amazed that we raised the amount of money we needed for his surgery,” Morristown-Hamblen Humane Society Acting Director Carlee Stevenson said.

She reported that Bert has come out of a successful surgery and is on his way back to the shelter as of Wednesday afternoon.

There had been some concern about a delay getting him onto the operating room caused by a respiratory issue, but it cleared up in time.

“He’s doing great; He got through his surgery beautifully,” Stevenson said. “They were a little bit afraid that his leg was going to be too healed to really do anything, but they got in there and while it had started to heal just a little bit, it was still perfect for them to do the surgery that he needed.”

The surgery required “external fixtures” that will be holding the bones of his front right leg in place as he heals, and Bert will need to go back to UT a few times for bandage changes and follow up care.

“They’re kind of like Frankenstein bolts out of his arm,” Stevenson explained. “He’s on some pretty heavy duty pain medication to keep him a little bit comfortable. And he came out of anesthesia last night. He was eating, he was drinking.”

The dog is still on soft food diet, but he’s showing signs of food and is expected to start transitioning to a more solid diet soon.

When Bert arrives back at the shelter, he will be joining a full house.

Currently over capacity with the recent arrival of litters of puppies to go along with the regular influx of animals, the shelter has seen some relief this week. But it won’t last long.

“We just sent a load of 12 dogs to LMU, but they will all be coming back March 7,” Stevenson said. “(Even with them gone) we’re at capacity. So we’re kind of scrambling to try and figure out where everybody’s going to go once they get back.”

The animals at the shelter can be seen on their Facebook page or at petfinder.com.

Stevenson encouraged anyone interested in adopting or fostering a dog or cat to come by the shelter during visitor hours Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.

She said the staff is knowledgeable and ready to help families find their ideal companion.

“We’ve got a bunch of great people who know these animals like they’re their own,” she said. “Folks can just tell us what they’re looking for and we’re going to have at least five options off the top of our head that we could introduce them to and hopefully add a new member to the family.”

Bert the Bulldog is going to require specialized treatments over the course of his recovery, and anyone wanting to donate to support his care or catch up on his story can visit M-H Humane Society’s website, social media, drop by the shelter or call 423-581-1494.