Team members at a remote elephant camp in Botswana were used to seeing their injured animals, but were shocked when one day a small dog was pulling himself towards them.
Poppy must have felt that these people could help, because now she is loved and receives the medical treatment she needs.
The Okavango Delta is home to nearly a thousand species of animals, including macaques, baboons, hippos, rhinos, zebras, wildebeest, elephants, hyenas, crocodiles, cheetahs, and cheetahs. , lions and wild dogs.
Suzanne Vogel told The Dodo: “She crawled – literally, because her hind legs were completely immobile – into our research camp. “She couldn’t walk, but was full of love and looking for help.”
The team took Poppy under their wing, surprised that she had traveled so far to reach them and had survived the journey.
“The camp is in a remote area, full of elephants, but also lions, hyenas and other predators,” says Vogel. “Poppy somehow got to us, emaciated and drenched in rain.”
Rain was better than the scorching, arid heat, as the camp was located just north of the Kalahari Desert. The researchers followed Poppy for several days, and as soon as he could, Graham McCulloch drove on time to get her to the vet.
Veterinarians determined that the girl had been injured as a puppy around 7 months old, possibly from being trampled by a person or large animal.
She needed corrective surgery, so team member Amanda Stronza set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds to make it possible.
“[The vet] said the chances were slim that she could make it through the surgery or recover from it,” explains Stronza. “But she has a lot of life inside of her, and I know we need to honor her will to live and the hard fight she fought to find us and survive. I can’t agree to feed her meat. “
So the vets agreed to give her anti-inflammatory medication, and with that along with some proper food and water, Poppy got better.
She can even put some weight on her atrophied hind legs. Every day she shows her rescuers how special she is.
“Her eyes drew us in immediately,” says Stronz. “They are huge, full of longing and sparkling with life. She bursts with the sweetest spirit, and we can clearly see that, despite her desperate condition.”
Poppy will stay with the team – her temporary family – for the next month at least until they can decide what course to take from there – surgery, a more permanent home, etc.
Many people have expressed their interest in adopting her.
“She already has so many people around the world who love her from afar and are checking her progress daily and looking forward to seeing a happy outcome, namely being accepted into a loving family. dear,” said Stronz.
“She will regain her ability to walk, or she will get wheels to help her around. I think she has a bright future! “
