Rocky, a dog, lost her front legs in a train accident (AFP)
Faridabad:
An Indian street dog who lost his front legs after being run over by a train has found a new home in Britain after undergoing a year of therapy and learning to walk again with prosthetics.
The three-year-old pooch was found “covered in blood” and his forelegs seriously injured by a Railroad Protection Force officer in Faridabad, Haryana, last October, Ravi Dubey told AFP, president of People for Animals India.
The officer transported the injured canine – now named Rocky – to one of PFA’s shelters, where she was rushed to hospital.
“Saving such a badly injured dog is almost impossible,” veterinarian Mahesh Verma said in a video shared by the shelter.
“There was a lot of bleeding … we fixed a healthy dog and transfused blood.”
Doctors had to amputate her front legs, leaving her with stumps. His hind legs were also seriously injured.
But the dog – although not named Rocky after the iconic character in the film – nonetheless fought as hard as the downtrodden pugilist to recover.
“She succeeded,” Dubey said. “She’s a fighter.”
As Rocky recovered – learning to use his chin for balance – the rescue organization posted a video of his plight that went viral on social media, drawing the attention of global canine rescue group Wild at Heart Foundation.
They pledged to find her a home, while an Indian national living in London paid for her new legs.
In July, Rocky took his first steps on his new limbs, performed by a renowned doctor from Jaipur.
Rocky will board a plane early Wednesday in New Delhi and travel to London, where she will eventually settle with an adopter, Mr Dubey said.
“Rocky is a very brave bitch – even after suffering trauma and losing both legs she has shown incredible resilience, strength and spirit to live on,” he said. .
“Now she is ready to fly to her forever.”
An estimated 30 million stray dogs roam the streets of India, with mixed breeds often rejected in favor of pedigree dogs which confer societal status.
“In India, animals are often abandoned and abused. We are very happy that Rocky has a safe and open space,” Dubey said.
