A usual day of a regular West Philly citizen. However, on that fateful morning of December she ended up being a Good Samaritan. She saw a trash bag move as she worked here on site. Others might have discarded it, but she decided to look into this further. Inside the bag, she sliced it open and what she discovered blew her mind.
A striking white and tan pit bull was lying dead in that bag. His eyes were wide but seeing nothing, only his head swaying. The Good Samaritan picked his lifeless body out of the bag and laid him gently on a piece of cardboard. She grabbed a few sheets and covered him up before calling for help.
No one knew what happened to this unfortunate soul. If he had ingested poison that made his legs paralyzed. Did he have a spinal injury? All that anyone knew for sure was that he was alive and in some kind of trouble.
The cop ran the pup, who they eventually named Codi, to the vet team awaiting. As soon as the nurses stood Codi up, he fell. No response to painful stimuli in the limbs. His general body condition was critical, but her coat was shiny. No obvious wounds visible yet something severely wrong.
Despite all this, Codi was bright-eyed and alert. His eyes begged for his salvation, and the veterinary team was determined to give it to him. They ran drug tests, bloodwork, and took x-rays. They gave him medication to relieve pain and discomfort, IV fluids to keep him hydrated, and offered hand-feedings. The nurses flipped his body several times daily, changed his bedding to keep him comfortable and dry, used warm compresses, and massaged his feet.
As part of his treatment plan, the team supported Codi in a standing position and stretched his legs. His body very slowly began to get the message. With continued physical therapy, he took small, cautious assisted steps. A few at a time, and then a few more, they were soon strung together for a short “walk.”
One morning, the good samaritan stopped by to say hello when, to everyone’s amazement, Codi stood up on his own. It was pure elation, a message of hope and determination.
The days went by, and Codi kept getting better and better. Now he went outside all by his self, though pretty wobbly and far from sure on his feet. Each new day found him stronger, more confident.
Codi’s story could have ended very differently. He could have died in the trash bag on the street, abandoned and alone. But because of the Good Samaritan, he didn’t. He could have died, too, had he gone elsewhere. “But he came to the right place, and our veterinary team gave him every chance to recover,” she said.
Vets suspected that he had ingested toxin, probably rat poison. Whether that was purposeful or not, what was on purpose was tossing his still-breathing body into a trash bag. It was a heartbreaking thought, yet Codi’s recovery reminded one that even in the darkest of moments, there is always hope.
Codi’s story touched everyone who met him. His resilience, determination, and spirit made the veterinary team understand why they do this lifesaving work. And with every step, a little stronger, a little more confident, he took, they were reminded that their work was well worth it.
In the end, it became a story of survival and hope for Codi. It showed that no matter how bad things get, redemption is always possible, and with love and care, one can make a difference. And as the veterinary team looked into Codi’s bright, alert eyes, they knew they had made a difference, that they had given him a second chance at life.
The role of people like this good Samaritan.
There are not many people in today’s world who cares about others, especially dogs and other animals. I have observed many evil spirits who poison animals for their convenience.
But I am not saying that good people don’t exist at all. They do exist like in this story of Codi. And these people are really important in order to keep the humanity alive. The thing is, change initiates from our own self, so in order to appreciate these people, we need to envy them.
We need to be more like them and provide love to the lost souls of this world. Because a lot can improve from one person dedicated to improving. A lot of animals can be saved all around the globe. It just takes one person to inspire the whole community.