McClatchy Washington Bureau

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- How much would you pay for a dog with five legs?

If you're Allyson Siegel, the answer is $4,000, plus at least $2,000 more for medical expenses to remove said leg.

The 45-year-old Charlotte woman bought Precious the puppy – whom she has renamed Lilly – from Gastonia resident Calvin Owensby last week because she couldn't bear to see her sold to a Coney Island sideshow that features deformed animals.

Read the complete story at charlotteobserver.com