Buddy may be one of the unluckiest dogs in the world. In the first three years of his life, he has been plagued with multiple health problems that so far have resulted in two surgeries, more than $6,000 in veterinarian bills, and ongoing, twice-weekly therapy and rehabilitation sessions.

Buddy is also one of the luckiest dogs because he was taken in by members of the American Lhasa Apso Club Rescue. Helen Zeppenfield Brown of Bedford, national coordinator of that organization, gave him a foster home for two months. Then she found him a permanent home with Walter and Ellen Pfendner in Norristown, near Philadelphia.

Buddy's good luck continues. He's one of the top three vote-getters in a national contest that "honors rescued pets that have overcome great odds to survive and thrive under harrowing circumstance, thanks to the incredible hard work and dedication of small pet rescue organizations."

The name of the competition is a mouthful: Purina Pro Plan Rally to Rescue -- Doing More for Pets Rescue Stories Contest.

Go to www.rallytorescue.com to see Buddy and the other nine canine and feline finalists. The voting deadline is Friday.

The picture of the fluffy black and white dog explains many of those votes. Buddy is drop-dead adorable, with big, sad eyes.

If Buddy wins the contest, Lhasa Apso Rescue will get $5,000 in free dog food and so will Buddy. Because that's more food than he'd eat in the foreseeable future, most of that would be donated to rescue dogs, Mrs. Pfendner said.

Buddy was 18 months old when his family turned him in to Ms. Brown because they could not afford to deal with his health problems. Ms. Brown's veterinarian discovered that Buddy had 37 bladder stones because his body cannot metabolize animal protein.

He needed surgery and had to stay at the vet clinic for two weeks. The rescue group paid the $2,500 bill.

That's a lot of money for a rescue group made up of breeders and Lhasa-lovers. To put it in perspective, the rescue group was thrilled with the $3,500 raised at its national show in Carlisle. So why would it spend $2,500 on just one little dog?

"We do this for the love of the breed, and Buddy is probably one of the sweetest dogs we have ever rescued," said Ms. Brown, who has been rescuing dogs since 1998 when she retired from the Navy.

Looking at her list of potential adopters, Ms. Brown called the Pfendners because they said they would be willing to adopt a "special-needs" dog. His vegetable protein diet --$70 for 24 cans and $70 for a 20-pound bag of dry food -- would not be a problem.

"Buddy is a riot. He is so full of energy, and he loves everybody," Mrs. Pfendner said.

Then, last May, he started acting as if he was in pain. They took him to their vet, and during the exam he suddenly was unable to walk. They rushed him to the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school, where an MRI showed he had a herniated disc. The couple opted for surgery, although it was unclear whether he would ever walk again.

The bills came to $3,800 and Buddy still goes to therapy, "but he walks, and he walks normally," Mrs. Pfendner said.

Lhasa Apso rescue is swamped with dogs turned in by families "because people don't understand the temperament," Ms. Brown said. "Lhasas are little and cute and fluffy, but they're not for everyone and many of the dogs I get have been biters."

Lhasa Apsos do not like small children, and the rescue will generally not adopt dogs to families with children under the age of 12.

"This is a companion animal for adults," Ms. Brown said. "They were bred in Tibet to guard the temples, and in their homes they are great watch dogs."

Mrs. Pfendner says the breed she loves "has Lhasa-tude. Attitude. They like to be king of the hill. They are strong-willed, but they are very affectionate and bond very tightly with their owners. They usually don't like people outside the family, though Buddy is the exception to that rule."

Lhasa rescue finds new homes for about 500 dogs each year. They could save more if they had more foster homes and more donations.

Go to www.akc.org and click on "breeds" to find contact information for Lhasa rescue, and for the groups that work to rescue other breeds. Ms. Brown can be reached at 1-814-624-5136.

Today is the third annual National Pit Bull Awareness Day. Hello Bully, a Pittsburgh group that rescues that breed, is having meet and greets today from noon to 3 p.m. at the following locations for Burton's Total Pet stores: McIntyre Square, McKnight Road, Bridgeville, Greensburg and Monroeville. Go to www.hellobully.com for further information.