Energetic goldendoodle’s snowy sewer snafu

Meet Aurora, Taylor’s spunky, off-the-walls goldendoodle pup

When Taylor Y. and her fiancé noticed their pooch, Belle, seeming lonely following an out-of-state move, the couple began thinking about adding another pup to their family.

They went to meet some puppies, not anticipating they would return home with a new furever friend. That changed when they met Aurora.

Taylor remembers, “My fiancé would not put her down. [I’m] walking around this puppy place, and he [was] just sitting on the ground just looking at me with her in his lap.”

The staff at the rescue warned Taylor that Aurora may not be an easy pup to adopt—she was shy, reserved and resistant to training. Taylor soon learned that their assessment was … not quite accurate.

“A week after she moved home with us, she was just all up in my grill. Sleeps on my pillows, won't leave us alone, loves going out and loves going for walks—things like that. So, she's just been a blessed child,” Taylor reports.

Her high-energy, playful personality has made Aurora a welcome addition to Taylor’s family. It also contributed to a surprising incident—one that inspired her Hambone award nomination.

What happened?

It all started the night following a long, snowy day. Taylor remembers, “[My fiancé] went to take the dogs out…. He was walking pretty slow, but it's hard with a puppy in snow.

“Aurora was running for a stick. He bent over to pick up [a dog waste bag], and when he turned back, her foot had gotten caught in a storm drain. It was really slippery, and she started to panic—so she twisted her little body and … she ended up twisting it all the way around.”

Taylor continues, “She immediately was limping. He started freaking out and called for me, and he was like, ‘I don't know what just happened.’”

Unfortunately, the roads were much too dangerous to take Aurora to the hospital right away. They kept close watch on her to see if anything changed, setting hourly alarms throughout the night to check in.

The next morning, Taylor took Aurora to the veterinarian at opening time, and they quickly ushered her into the X-ray room.

The X-ray showed that Aurora's leg had snapped right above the knee. Due to the severity of the injury, Taylor was referred to the veterinary specialists at Iowa State, where Aurora received emergency surgery.

Aurora’s road to recovery would start with a multiple-night stay at the hospital, but the sweet pup wasn't going to let that faze her.

“Aurora broke her leg in half, and she was licking my face. She was taking treats. She was trying to play,” Taylor remembers.

How Nationwide helped

The total for emergency surgery would come to more than $6,000—much more than Taylor could handle on her own. Luckily, she had enrolled Aurora with Nationwide pet insurance.

Taylor says, “Nationwide has allowed me to not worry so much about the financial aspects. When someone looks at you and says, ‘Yeah, we can help your dog for $6,000—nobody is prepared for that.”

More than financial support, Taylor got comfort from Nationwide’s Member Care team.

She says, “I called Nationwide because I'm like, ‘I know that I have pet insurance and I didn't think that I would ever, ever have to use it.’ [The Member Care rep] talked me through my coverage, and she said, ‘As long as your baby's going to be okay, everything is going to be okay.’”