A pet owner has told Newsweek the heartwarming story of how her brave chihuahua has recovered sufficiently from a horrifying dog attack to be around other dogs and to return to one of his favorite places: the beach.
Dog owner Georgi Green, 26, will never forget the day in January 2023 when she was walking her two chihuahuas, Coco Bean and Wally Polly, and a stray dog came out of nowhere and attacked them. She recalls seeing the dog latch onto Wally Polly, saying that it started "shaking him like a chew toy."
Green, of Brisbane, Australia, did her best to get the stray off, but nothing was working. Until finally, a neighbor happened to be driving past and ran over to help. As soon as the dog saw the man coming, it dropped Wally Polly and fled, much to Green's relief.
"It first latched on to Coco Bean, grabbing her around her upper back, before dropping her and going straight for Wally Polly. The two of them let out the most bloodcurdling cries I have ever heard," Green said.
"Wally suffered two large puncture wounds, internal bleeding, bruising, and a large tear on his genitals, and the wound had to be glued back together. Coco got away with heavy bruising on her body but no punctures. The vet was unsure how the dog didn't kill them both."
Following the attack, Wally Polly was terrified of anyone going near him, except for Green. He became very anxious and constantly wanted to be in his owner's arms. Green even used a scarf to create a makeshift sling, just so she could keep her hands free while carrying him around all the time.
Perhaps the most heartbreaking part was that he suffered from night terrors for months. He would often cry out in his sleep, making the same sound he made when he was attacked.
"There were so many times I would just hold him and cry and tell him how sorry I was for letting it happen," Green continued. "He would be sound asleep and suddenly wake up and would be yelping like I have never heard before. I spent a few nights sleeping on the ground by his crate so he would feel safe."
It's taken a lot of support to build Wally Polly's strength back up, but Green has gradually managed to help him feel safe going outside and being around others. He still gets "extremely nervous" around large dogs and will jump at her feet to be picked up, but he's making great progress, nonetheless.
In early November, he was finally confident enough to return to one of his favorite places: the beach. He wasn't brave enough to go before as it's full of dogs, but he did so well on his first foray back onto the sandy shore.
Green captured a video of the wonderful moment her pup finally enjoyed the sand under his paws and shared it on TikTok (@d0uble___g). The video delighted internet users, generating more than 176,000 views and over 38,100 likes on TikTok in just a matter of days.
"It was beautiful to be back," she told Newsweek. "He was a little nervous in the beginning but eventually warmed up and had the best day. I ended up running along the beach with them both and they loved it.
"Everyone has been so kind and supportive online. The comments have been so heartwarming, but it breaks my heart that so many other dogs and owners have been through this too."
Upon reporting the dog attack to the council, Green was told that it was a stray dog they had been trying to catch for a while, after it was dumped by its owner. Green said it broke her heart because the dog must have been so scared and hungry that it would do anything.
While she was devastated to see it attack her dogs, she "could not help but feel empathy" after learning what it had gone through.
The adorable video of Wally Polly enjoying the beach has melted plenty of hearts online, leading to more than 550 comments on TikTok already.
One comment reads: "I swear Chihuahuas are one of the most resilient breed of dog. Absolute little fighter, what a rock star."
Another TikTok user wrote: "Aww this is so cute, bless him well done buddy."
"Genuinely such a big deal. Go little guy," added one TikToker.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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