When Marquis Allen first met Brianna Leon, the Community Outreach Manager at the MSPCA-Angell Boston, he couldn’t have imagined how important their relationship would become. The two met in 2022 at a pop-up food support event hosted by the Boston outreach team in Dorchester. Marquis, a lifelong dog lover, has worked hard to ensure that the canines in his care always receive the support they need.
In 2024, Marquis’ dog had a litter of puppies, and he was excited when it was decided that one pup named Mamas was going to live with his girlfriend, Asjahnee. In late March, Marquis contacted Brianna because it seemed Mamas couldn’t put any weight on one of her legs after a fall. Brianna promptly scheduled an X-ray for Mamas the following morning.
Marquis was devastated when the X-ray showed that Mamas had a severe elbow fracture. Mamas received much-needed pain medicine while Brianna and the Lead Clinician of Community and Shelter Medicine, Dr. Rebecca Fellman, discussed treatment options with Marquis.
He quickly started contacting nearby animal hospitals to gather details about the surgery. Over the following days, Marquis and Brianna worked together to decide the best course of action for everyone involved. After careful consideration, Marquis ultimately based his decision on three factors: the expensive surgery cost, acknowledging that Mamas was managing well with three legs, and his trust in the team at the MSPCA-Angell Clinic: Boston.
Marquis informed Brianna of his decision to amputate Mamas’ leg, and they promptly scheduled her surgery with Community Clinic veterinarian Dr. Wendy Huang. Mamas’ visit to the clinic was successful — her amputation was completed as planned, and she was also spayed during the same visit. Mamas was discharged from the clinic and received plenty of tender loving care while she recovered, all thanks to Marquis.
Marquis maintains a close connection with Brianna, sharing updates on Mamas’ recovery and participating in community outreach events to discuss Mamas’ progress back home with Asjahnee.
Learn more about the Community Outreach program and keeping pets and families together at mspca.org/outreach.
