Every day new stories are unveiled that demonstrate the intelligence of animals. In addition to having a giant heart, they are able to communicate and survive thanks to their instinct and wisdom. That was the case with Poppy, a paralyzed puppy who crawled for miles in search of help.
After being discovered by a group of people, she caused great surprise and commotion. We invite you to know in detail what happened, why she stole the hearts of those who found her and what her current situation is. It is believed that Poppy was kicked and mistreated by some insensitive person, as she has a very delicate injury in her spine. In addition to this, she lost mobility in her hind legs, which is why she caused such a commotion when she approached a group of people to ask for help, even though she could not walk.
Poppy had crawled for an unknown distance to an elephant research camp in the northern Okavango region of Botswana. The camp workers were there. Amanda Stronza was the one who initially greeted her and getting emotional was inevitable upon seeing her.
“She came crawling, literally crawling, because her hind legs were completely immobilized,” said Amanda about the moment of the dog’s arrival at the camp. That’s how she and her companions decided to give her shelter.
Shocked by her strength, this group of people did their best to protect her and give her the care she needed. In this sense, they traveled to the nearest veterinary clinic, 8 hours away from the site, to take care of her properly. In this way, they learned that Poppy was only 7 months old and that she had probably been the victim of an accident. Her case was totally disturbing, as she was in a very remote place where there are mainly wild animals.
“Our camp is in a remote region, it is not only full of elephants, but also lions, hyenas and other predators. She had somehow made her way to us, stark and drenched by the rain.” After being seen by a veterinarian and discovering her spinal injury, it was learned that her situation could be improved with surgery. However, her health conditions were not suitable for surgery.
For this reason, her rescuers began to work to help her recover. On the one hand, they provided her with adequate food, water and medicine. They also focused on therapies and rehabilitation exercises to strengthen her hind legs. As Amanda and her companions took care of her, they began to see a great improvement and found a big difference from the desperate situation she was in when she first stood in front of their eyes.
After creating a GoFoundMe campaign to address Poppy’s needs, they raised almost $11,000. With this great help, they continued to provide her with the proper care and were able to strengthen her muscles to the point that she can now stand on all four legs. With the help of a wheelchair, she can run and move around with ease, even without showing any signs of pain. But the positive changes for Poppy don’t end with this part of the story, as she finally found a home.
After a long journey to a remote area and being cared for as she deserves, she was adopted by a family in Washington, DC, in the United States. MaryBeth Hastings is the name of her new adoptive mother, who opened the doors of her home and her heart to give her a good quality of life.
