GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Just like the Disney character 'Bambi,' a little puppy at the Greenville County Humane Society had a hard time standing up on her own.The Labrador retriever mix started out life fine. She was quickly adopted out at the Humane Society. But a few weeks later, the adopter had to bring her back. The puppy had gone through a sudden growth spurt. Her bones had outgrown her muscles. The medical care was going to be costly.
"The minute I saw Bambi, I was just devastated," Sue Canniff said.
Caniff runs the foster care program and the Greenville County Humane Society.
The little dog that couldn't hold herself up was quickly named Bambi by the staff. They tried to think of a way to heal her to give her a fairy tale ending.
"It was almost as if her legs were twisted," Canniff said.
Normally, dogs that Canniff sends to temporary homes are getting over a case of kennel cough, or some other mild illness. But Bambi's needs were much greater. Her legs were facing in, and she was walking on the sides of her feet.
Canniff took Bambi home with her and started to think of a game plan.
She knew she could get a veterinarian to donate her time, but the medicine and supplies needed to cure Bambi were not in the budget.
"There was a therapy they hadn't tried but were willing to do for us," Canniff said.
Two months before this happened, a $5,000 gift from the Graham Foundation came into the Humane Society. It was earmarked to help dogs who needed more advanced medical care while being fostered.
Canniff knew this was the ticket to Bambi's medical recovery.
A veterinarian agreed to perform a medical procedure she'd never done before on Bambi. The idea was to wrap heavy bandages and stints around the little pup's legs. If it worked, the legs would straighten while they grew. If it didn't, they'd have to think of another course of treatment.
After several weeks of wearing what looked like casts and eating a special diet, it was time to unwrap the bandages.
To Canniff and the rest of the staff's surprise, Bambi's legs straightened.
They were weak, Canniff said, but straight as an arrow.
Bambi quickly realized her new ability to get around and within no time, Canniff said Bambi was able to take off and demand to be chased.
Now, it was time for Bambi to be up for adoption a second time.
"Bambi was not being adopted," Canniff said. "She was actually in the kennel for two weeks before she finally found her perfect home.""
Then one day Melissa Henderson walked into the shelter looking for a puppy. The staff told her about Bambi and she went to see the little pup while she was being given a bath.
Henderson wasn't convinced at first. She toured the rest of the kennel and checked out other dogs.
When she saw Bambi put back in her kennel, she knew it was meant to be.
Bambi's kennel was lined with before and after pictures of her medical procedure. Henderson could relate.
"I lost my leg 10 years ago in a motorcycle accident," Henderson said. "Losing my leg changed my life a lot. It gave me a lot of gratitude. I thank God every day for the loss of my leg because of the many blessings that have come out of it."
Henderson has fully recovered and now wears a prosthetic leg. She said Bambi went through a lot of things she had to in life, so she adopted Bambi that day.
Henderson said she got a sign from God that this adoption was meant to be when she was filling out the adoption paperwork and saw Bambi's birthday was the same day as hers, Aug. 28.
Bambi will be putting her newly corrected legs to good use. Henderson is a volunteer coordinator for a Gentiva Hospice.
She is training Bambi to be a pet therapy dog for hospice patients. She will be the first dog in that hospice's history to meet with patients.
"I'm so glad that they didn't give up on Bambi here," Henderson said as she left the shelter.
To see the Humane Society's YouTube video of Bambi, before and after her treatment click here
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