Street Dog Left for Dead After Being Hit by Car Gets Second Chance at Life

Street dogs are subjected to awful treatment and living conditions throughout the world, all because people won't neuter their dogs or take responsibility for an issue caused entirely by humans.

One such dog is Neo, whose traumatic story thankfully has a happy ending.

Neo was left bleeding in the road in Koh Samui, Thailand, after being hit by a car and left for dead.

"He was abandoned, in October 2021, wholly crippled with a fractured spine and many sores with maggots," said his adoptive owner Sybille Morch, 50, a gynecological surgeon originally from Germany. "He was severely emaciated and infected with a blood parasite."

He was luckily found in a bush by a passer-by. "The vet wanted to put him to sleep, which was understandable given his injuries," said Morch, "But Neo looked very hopeful, so they called me to see if I could take him in to my special needs dog family."

Morch gave Neo around-the-clock care, and when he was healed, she trained him to use a wheelchair. "He will never walk again and will always be incontinent," she said, "but he's now an energetic, cheeky little man."

In a video posted to Morch's Instagram page, @my.disabled.hairy.friends, Neo, a small black-and-white dog, can be seen sprinting down a beach with his wheelchair, swimming in the sea, and speeding around without the use of his chair.

There was no vet on Koh Samui island until 1999, when Dog Rescue Center Samui opened its doors offering free treatment, vaccinations and a spay and neuter program. Before 1999, dogs like Neo would have been left for dead, with no treatment available and a very poor population trying to survive themselves, with no money to travel to a vet on the mainland. Today, the population of Koh Samui is still poor. The average salary is $5 a day, and the price for spaying and neutering at a non-charity vet is around $30.

Morch started working with street dogs on Koh Samui in 2011, when she volunteered at an animal shelter. "The dogs captured my heart immediately, there was always a lot of work to do, and I felt needed and comfortable. I was a senior physician in a German clinic. I love being a doctor, but the higher you go in the hierarchy, the less time you have for the patients."

In 2013 Morch quit her job and now lives on Samui full-time. "Working with these dogs makes me happy and I don't regret giving up my medical career, although I do still do some consulting work for humans. Everything just feels right, I work a lot more than I used to, but I laugh a lot more too."

If you find an injured dog on vacation, Morch suggests:

• Many organizations take care of injured dogs. You can quickly find their contact details on social media.
• It is essential to stay with the animal until help arrives. Most of the time, animals lie in the blazing sun. Provide shade and offer water. Cover wounds if necessary; any cloth or towel will do.
• If you feel confident, put the dog in the car and drive to a veterinary clinic nearby or to one of the aid organizations.
• There is not always someone ready to come on call. If the dog has skin disease (mange) but is mobile, shy, and runs away, take a photo of the animal and secure the location. Then it is possible to search for this dog later. The animals usually stay in one area.

Users found the video inspiring.

"Talk about embracing second chances!! Look at him GGGGOOOOOOOOOO," said one user.

"Just watching him now is pure happiness," commented another.

"So much joy and life left in him! You're a saint for helping him," wrote a third.

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.