The lean wolflike puppy wobbled when she walked, her hind legs flailing as if she were swiveling on a pommel horse.

But she seemed to wear a perpetual grin, oblivious to her disability or the horrific slaughter from which she was rescued.

Erin and Nic Ward showed up at the pet store, pondering whether they could care for a dog like this. "It took us about 10 seconds to decide," said Erin Ward of Eagan. "She was just so sweet."

Through the Homeward Bound dog rescue, the couple gave the Alaskan husky pup they now call Nike a second chance at life. They learned how two boys had tied up Nike, her siblings and mother to a tree, where they were mauled by pit bulls.

The entire family perished, except one.

Nike - named after the winged goddess of victory, not the shoe company - has been "making up for lost time in the love department," said Katie Adams, a volunteer for Homeward Bound. Adopted by the Wards in May, Nike is one of the 9,500 animals who have been rescued by the Monticello, Minn.-based operation.

"They adopted her 'as is,' knowing her future was uncertain and that she required hours each day of training and extra care," said Adams, whose mother, Cheryl Adams, founded the nonprofit organization 13 years ago.

The dog rescue places abandoned dogs in temporary "foster care" until they find permanent homes for them. Homeward Bound matches about 60 animals a month with families through pet adoptions at the Petco stores in Maple Grove, Fridley, Maplewood and Eagan. Many of those animals have special needs, Adams said. They include deaf, blind, three-legged and diabetic dogs and puppy mill survivors.

But why would a person want to own a disabled pet?

"There are some people who are such caretakers, and they aren't afraid of that challenge," said Cheri Friedman of Edina, the self-described "treat lady" volunteer who feeds many of the rescued dogs.

A University of Minnesota vet neurologist told the Wards that Nike's spinal disorder, which she apparently was born with, will eventually pinch off her nerves and leave her paraplegic.

The Wards have changed their work schedules so that each of them can spend one day a week at home with Nike, who has problems controlling her bladder due to the disorder. She has difficulty walking on asphalt or smooth surfaces, so they must lug all 40 pounds of her across the street or across tile floors.

On other days, she gets to relax in a private lounge at the Dog Day Getaway, a new "day care" for canines on 146th Street in Apple Valley. On a recent morning, she flopped around as pals Pete the Shih Tzu and Nuk, a 6-pound rat terrier, pranced around and canoodled her with kisses.

"I cried the first day she came here," said Nicole Lushine, co-owner of the day care. "Even if she dies in two months, she'll have a better life than most animals do."

"She loves all people," said Nic Ward, who recently lost his dog of 17 years, Zoe, before deciding to adopt Nike. "You take her for a walk, and if she hears a bird, she'll look up and follow it in the sky. She literally chases butterflies. She's the stereotypical cartoon of a happy puppy."

Homeward Bound picks up animals from pounds, pays for shots, spaying or neutering and other medical procedures and screens people who want to buy the pets. It operates on donations and adoption fees, which average out at $285.

Friedman remembers one Springer spaniel who was overlooked by potential owners for several months. Finally, it found a loving home and was lavished with gifts such as a Coach collar. "Here's this dog who someone abandoned, and this other couple thinks he's the greatest thing," she said.

"Same dog, different people."

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