If you saw a dying puppy in the street, we’re pretty certain that you’d do whatever you could to help it. Animals feel pain in the same way that us humans do, and it would be inhumane to ignore any creature that was obviously sick.
So when a woman living in West Africa spotted a puppy who was close to the brink of death, she was determined to help him in any way that she could. After a heated discussion with the locals, she was able to take the puppy to a nearby chimp sanctuary where she and the chimps helped to nurse him back to health.
Thanks to the selfless woman, the puppy is now happy, healthy, and in a loving home, and an emotional video of the dog’s long healing process has been shared for us all to see.
The video was shared onto YouTube by Their Turn, and since being posted it has received over 7.2 million views, as well as thousands of likes and comments. The video tells the story of the dog’s rescue, and begins when Jenny Desmond and her husband Jimmy first come across the pup in a distant village in Liberia.
Jenny and her husband work in the Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection unit, however they cannot resist rescuing other sick and injured animals whenever they come across them. The puppy was clearly dying, and the pair didn’t have the heart to leave him behind. The poor thing had worms and was ill with a fever, as well as eye and skin infections, and was dangerously underweight.
Shockingly, although the villagers didn’t seem to care much for the injured pup, as Jenny tried to pick him up they instantly protested. Although it’s not clear why they were protesting, it may have been that the villagers felt that the dog was their property, and were expecting Jenny to pay some money towards taking him. But Jenny didn’t allow them to change her mind.
“You see he’s being eaten alive,” she said, holding up the little dog for them to see. “You want me to leave him here and he’s gonna die?” she added.
Eventually, Jenny was able to safely get the puppy into the car, vowing to never bring him back to the village where residents had so heartlessly watched him become more and more sick.
“I’m not bringing him back. I’m just saying that,” Jenny promised her husband as they drove away from the village.
Once back at the chimp shelter, the puppy, who Jenny named Snafu, was bathed and assessed by Jimmy, who is a vet. The puppy was so hungry that his body had begun digesting its own muscle, so those at the shelter made sure that he had plenty to eat and drink.
Over the next few weeks, Snafu’s condition improved more and more. First, his fur began to grow back and his coat changed from scruffy and wiry to shiny and soft. Thanks to the cone of shame to stop him from licking his wounds, Snafu’s sores healed and he continued to grow bigger and stronger every day.
But Snafu’s biggest change was in his personality. Gone was the tired, timid dog, and in its place was a happy, energetic dog with bucket loads of energy. It was amazing to see his transformation.
The chimps also helped Snafu in his recovery, and insisted on carrying the tiny pup up and down the stairs. And thanks to Jenny and Jimmy, after a year of rehabilitation, Snafu was transformed into a totally different dog. It was time for him to get the happy ending that he deserved.
The couple were insistent that Snafu would go to a safe and happy home, so when Jenny’s niece offered to take on the pup in her Colorado home, they were absolutely over the moon. The pup is now eagerly awaiting his new life in his forever home, and Jenny concludes,
“He’s moving to Colorado to live with my nieces and he’s gonna have a great, wonderful life.”
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