A street dog found paralysed at the roadside has regained the use of his legs in a remarkable recovery following months of rehabilitation.
Georgie’s carers at Rajasthan-based Animal Aid Unlimited feared that the injured hound may never walk again after he was hit by a car.
The charity in Udaipur, which has documented Georgie’s recovery in a heartwarming video, got a call to say he was injured and unable to stand following the accident.
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Street dog Georgie was left paralysed after being hit by a car in Rajasthan, India
Charity Animal Aid Unlimited saved his life after being alerted to an injured dog at the roadside
When the rescue team arrived, they found the dog sitting forlorn in the street, desperately trying to drag the lifeless half of his body around with his front legs.
‘He couldn’t understand why his legs wouldn’t work anymore,’ said a spokesperson for the charity, which rescues thousands of street dogs in India every year.
‘He was hurt and confused and he didn’t know we were here to help.’
As the team try to approach, terrified Georgie winces as the rescuer reaches out his hand and then tries to scurry away but fails, reluctantly accepting a stroke.
As the team try to approach, terrified Georgie tries to scurry away but is unable to stand
Back at the sanctuary after the rescue, it becomes clear that Georgie has major nerve damage
However, when the rescuer tries to scoop him up in a blanket Georgie uses all of his strength to drag himself underneath a nearby van to hide.
The team had to then coax him onto the blanket before lifting him to the safety of the animal ambulance and transporting him to the nearby sanctuary.
Once back at Animal Aid Unlimited’s centre, it became clear that Georgie had no feeling remaining in his hind legs whatsoever as his paws curled over and he repeatedly slumps down on the veterinary table.
The spokesperson said: ‘He had suffered trauma to his spine causing significant nerve damage. Nerve damage is often permanent but we had to try.’
He has no feeling in his hind legs which repeatedly collapse and his paws are bent over
But the charity didn’t give up, and put Georgie on a physiotherapy programme
One of the team members is then seen massaging Georgie’s hips and hind legs at the beginning of weeks worth of treatment comprising TLC, rest and physiotherapy.
The shy hound can be seen lying patiently, happily accepting the help.
‘He was such a good little patient,’ said the spokesperson.
After a number of weeks, the team made a breakthrough – they were able to get Georgie to stand supported and could begin encouraging him to walk again.
Eventually, Georgie was able to stand supported and the team was able to begin encouraging him to walk again
Now he is back on all four paws and can be seen happily bounding around his enclosure with only a little limp
‘Little by little his toes stopped curling backwards. Still, he could not stand. But his caregivers never stopped trying,’ the charity said.
But the relentless dedication of the team paid off, and Georgie can soon be seen bounding around the enclosure at the centre completely unaided, albeit with a little bit of a limp.
He’s also seen accepting cuddles and fuss from the team there, climbing into a bed for a bit of down time in the sun and rolling around with joy in the dirt before shaking himself off.
Although he was terrified when he was first rescued, Georgie now can’t get enough human interaction at Animal Aid Unlimited’s sanctuary in Udaipur
As well as enjoying life back on four paws, he is loving cuddles with the team
The video, posted on Animal Aid Unlimited’s Facebook page, has been viewed more than 170,000 times and has attracted hundreds of comments from animal lovers around the world.
The spokesperson for the charity added: ‘You can see it in his eyes from the first screen, his profound innocence and confusion.
‘It doesn’t happen very often but sometimes, when nerve damage is caught early and intensive treatment and physical therapy is started right away, there can be reason to hope, and that’s what Georgie did. He hoped.’
He knows how to roll: Georgie can be seen rolling around in the dirt in delight at the sanctuary
Animal Aid Unlimited – set up by Erika, Jim and Claire Abrams-Myers 15 years ago after the family relocated to India from Seattle – rescues thousands of animals from India’s streets every year.
About 50 dogs, 30 cows, 25 donkeys and five pigs who cannot be returned to the street live at its sanctuary where it also cares for some 200 animals under treatment for injuries and illnesses at any one time.
The charity also runs education programmes to prevent suffering among animals.