A precious dog lost nearly all of her legs and was even close to losing her life – but Chi Chi’s fate wasn’t going to end here.
The very special golden retriever was going to continue on to overcome her severe injuries, become a therapy dog, and be named American Humane’s 2018 American Hero Dog.
But, first, it’s important to know the background of Chi Chi’s life. As you can imagine, it was a horrific start for the sweet girl. Back in 2016, Chi Chi was left for dead in a dumpster in South Korea. She was found inside a garbage bag with her legs tied together with wire—which were eating away into her skin.
Animal Rescue, Media & Education received news of a potential meat farm, where Chi Chi was found, through Nabiya Irion Hope Project, an animal welfare group based in South Korea. It was pure luck that they happened to find the scared and injured girl at all.
After being treated at the hospital, Chi Chi needed to have all four of her limbs, right above the paw, amputated.
After her surgery, Chi Chi would require lots of rehabilitation. She would also receive four custom-designed prosthetic limbs, so she could learn how to walk again. ARME shared a video of the rescued dog, which is how Elizabeth Howell in Arizona learned about Chi Chi. She knew immediately that she wanted to take the brave dog into her home.
“She stole my heart,” Howell told TODAY.
A few weeks later, Chi Chi arrived in Arizona where she would need to be fitted for prostheses. This would prove to be a challenge due to the fact her legs were amputated at different heights.
