We first met Babu in May 2012, when he had been involved in a hit-and-run accident. Before we rescued him, Babu had suffered almost a week with a broken leg and several serious abrasions that had gotten infected. He had to undergo surgery twice, to fix his broken leg. He was recovering well in a foster home after the second surgery, when his wound reopened and he had to return to the vet to be stitched up again. But Babu has a really strong and enduring personality, and he remained hopeful throughout all of this.
Barely a month later, disaster struck. Somehow, Babu had managed to catch distemper, one of the deadliest diseases for dogs. Babu spent a very long time in isolation at the vet, fighting for his life. The disease took a heavy toll on him. He lost his appetite, most of his weight, and even his indomitable spirit. He sorely missed his family, a group of kind foreign workers who took care of him at the factory where he lived. His family missed him too.
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| Babu, happy and contented in his forever home |
Finally, at the very end of June, 2 months from his car accident, Babu was cleared by the vet to return home. He had beaten distemper. In fact, he was the first HOPE dog to ever survive the disease, although he had sustained some lasting neural damage; Babu's teeth will chatter for the rest of his life. Despite it all, Babu really is a tremendous dog. You cannot help but admire his strength and sheer will to survive.
Babu was also the first dog to return to a factory, instead of being placed into a foster or forever home. Nobody was happier than he was, except maybe the factory workers who were eagerly awaiting his return. They had gone out of their way to prepare for Babu's homecoming, installing conveniences and luxuries such as fans and a kennel in his living space. We felt sure that Babu was in good hands... until we met Babu again two years later.
It was February 2016. Imagine our dismay when we received a call from SPCA, telling us that they had Babu, injured from yet another accident. Babu's caretakers, being foreign workers, must have returned to their homeland after their contracts here had expired. Babu must have been so heartbroken and went out to search for them, getting hit by a car in the process.
And so, nursing another badly broken leg, Babu was left in our care again. This time, his injuries were worse. His surgeries were more complex. His recuperation time was longer, and he required several follow-up visits with the vet. Babu was placed in a foster home, where he could be well cared for in his arduous journey to recovery.
One external fixator, two months, three surgeries and countless hydrotherapy sessions later, Babu was back in action. He could walk on all four legs again, albeit with a limp. He will continue with hydrotherapy rehabilitation until he rebuilds the muscles in his leg. We just have to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
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| Babu having hydrotherapy |
Slowly but surely, his charm and irresistible personality won over the hearts of his foster family, and even the resident cat. They decided to adopt him, and make him a part of their family for good. Finally, after years of hardship and pain, Babu got his fairy tale ending.
His teeth chatter (after effects of distemper) and he walks with a limp, but to us and to his new family, Babu is absolutely perfect. Despite all the struggle he has gone through, Babu is so laid back and friendly that you can't help but fall in love with him. He is very popular in his new neighborhood, and kids love to come over to hug him. Even people who were previously afraid of dogs now look forward to seeing him.
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| For Babu, dreams do come true |
We are thrilled that Babu has found his happily ever after. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to his vet bills over the years, friends who sponsored his hydrotherapy, and all of you who never gave up on him. We are so grateful to Babu's family for adopting him, and showing us that dreams do come true.
