Frida encourages families who have pets with unique needs never to give up hope.
Lisa Chong had no idea she’d be bringing a dog home from Thailand when she went there in 2018.
She’s now the proud pet parent of a crippled puppy named Frida, who goes by the handle @frida strong on social media, and the co-founder of The Frida Project, a non-profit that helps paralyzed animals.
When it all started, Chong and her childhood best friend Tara Austin were in Thailand in December 2018.
They noticed an injured puppy dragging herself across a busy road after dinner one night. They recognized the abandoned dog needed assistance, so they took her to a local veterinarian.
Chong and Austin were first unaware of Frida’s serious injuries.
However, when the vet examined her, they discovered she had a broken and dislocated spine, which had caused nerve damage to her bladder and bowels. Her back legs were also paralyzed as a result of the injuries.
Chong said, “She was simply in this terrible, desolate situation and needed care so severely.”
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Chong determined that the best way to assure Frida’s continuing healing was to return her home to the US after caring for her in Thailand.
The key reason, according to Chong, was Frida’s ability to obtain more physical therapy and treatment in America.
Chong says she wished to see Frida walk again, even in those early days. However, Frida had already become a family member, so saying goodbye was out of the question.
Frida and Chong headed back to America, where they worked on strengthening the puppy’s back legs through physical treatment, which included swimming and underwater treadmills as well as at-home activities.
Physical treatment improved Frida’s mobility, but it wasn’t enough to have her walking on her own.
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Through social media, Chong then found Derrick Campana, a pet prosthetist who has treated over 3,000 animals with unique pet prosthetics.
“Well, let’s try him as a last resort,’ we reasoned. And he got it right, “Chong explains. “She promptly took her first steps.”
During Frida’s recuperation, Chong and Austin founded The Frida Project, a non-profit that helps crippled animals and raises awareness about stray dog rescues like Frida’s.
“Caring for an animal like this has a significant learning curve, but the rewards are phenomenal,” Chong explains.
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Chong claims that her life would have taken a completely different path if it hadn’t been for Frida.
She was inspired to spend more time helping other animals after adopting Frida as a member of her family. Frida’s lesson isn’t only for animals; her courage in the face of adversity is inspiring to humans as well.
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“Her narrative reaches out to children who use prosthetics, as well as others who are differently-abled,” she explains. “We wish to share that mission and message with the rest of the world.”
Frida is no longer in pain, according to Chong, and she now leads a happy life.
Frida’s personality now shines through as the amusing, trustworthy, and loving pup she is, free of discomfort.
You can follow Frida on Instagram. Thanks to Daily Paws for this amazing story.
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