She was stiff as a board until …
When a pittie named Bunny was still just a baby, she was infected with tetanus, a rare, life-threatening infection. Her condition was so severe that her entire body became completely stiff, to the point where she could no longer walk or even move at all.
“You couldn’t even bend a part of her body,” her vet, Ali Thompson, told The Dodo.
Because of how sick she was, her human caretaker was forced to surrender her. Everyone thought the only possible solution was to euthanize Bunny.
But Thompson wasn’t ready to give up just yet. She went far above and beyond the normal duties of a vet by actually taking Bunny home with her.
“I decided that I was going to be a crazy person and do everything that I can to try and get her to survive,” she said.
Bunny had no idea what was happening to her or why she was in so much pain. Thompson could tell by the look in her eyes that she was absolutely terrified. But even though Bunny was scared, deep down, she was still just a happy, affectionate puppy.
“I’d walk in and her tail would just start working,” Thompson said.
It took three weeks of intensive treatment, but finally, Bunny started to feel better. One afternoon, Thompson held her breath as she watched Bunny walk across her backyard for the very first time. Out of sheer relief, Thompson shed tears of joy.
“I knew she had it in her,” Thompson said.
You can watch Bunny’s full journey below:
After that, it didn’t take long for Bunny to make a full recovery. Soon enough, she was running around and bouncing off the walls, just like any other puppy.
While Thompson didn’t take Bunny in with the intention of adopting her, after being there for her through every step of her healing process and witnessing her bravery, she just couldn’t say goodbye.
Now, years have passed since Thompson and her family decided to adopt Bunny. Over those years, Bunny has proven that not only has she recovered, but she’s actually thriving.
Some of Bunny’s favorite activities include running, swimming and paddle boarding. Her mom has even caught her jumping up onto the kitchen table.
When Thompson first met Bunny, it would have been impossible to imagine that she’d ever get to do any of those things. But thanks to Thompson’s unwavering dedication, Bunny gets to enjoy a full, happy life.
