Abandoned Puppy Found in Coma Makes Miraculous Recovery Thanks to Loving Support

On a freezing Winter night, a couple saw a cardboard box by the side of the road near a dumpster in their neighborhood. They decided to check out the mysterious box and quickly found a puppy lying inside. He looked like he was dead, but he wasn’t. This is Francis’ story:

When he was found, Francis was cold and very still and thought to be dead. Luckily, the couple noticed that the pup seemed to be breathing…

Francis was brought to the local no-kill animal shelter, Community Animal Rescue & Adoption, Inc. (CARA) which is a no-kill animal rescue in Jackson, Mississippi. A visit to the vet confirmed that, while the pup was alive, he was trapped in a deep coma.

Though he was non-responsive, the people at CARA did everything they could to bring him back to health. He was kept warm and comfortable. And, on Valentine’s Day, a party was held in his honor.

Francis got many visitors. Big visitors…

…small ones…

… and even furry ones!

Many left Francis with Valentine’s cards full of kind words and well wishes.

With all this love, Francis began to take notice… and soon his eyes were opened.

When he woke up he went home with some of the wonderful people at CARA to get 24-hour care. He needed a feeding tube for two months and he had difficulty standing up. But he received physical therapy from a wonderful human and soon he went from opening his eyes and raising his head to standing on his own.

… to standing on his own…

… to walking!

Here is a video of baby Francis learning how to walk:

Grrr!

This pup was a fighter.

More parties…

… fashion shows…

… play…

… rest…

… and PT work…

… and see how far we have come!

“Did you think I could do it?”

Looking better than ever!

Francis is now a happy, healthy (adult) puppy.

Making friends!

Enjoying his first Christmas.

His owner Harriet Scott says, “We were lucky enough to be chosen to adopt this special dog that had become such a celebrity. But to us, he is just Francis, a sweet, loving dog with lots of energy that loves to run and play outside, nap on the sofa, and live the life we would hope all homeless animals could find. Our family would not be complete without him; he has so much love for people because it’s the love of people that saved him.”

If you are inspired by this story, reach out! Donate your time or money at a local animal shelter, spay and neuter your pets, and keep an eye out for cardboard boxes that may at first look empty…

You can read more about the work CARA does at their website and Facebook page.

Please share this story and inspire others to help animals in need and to take one extra second to check out boxes that might seem empty at first. You never know when there’s a beautiful puppy around who needs your help.