Have you heard of Phoenix, the hound-mix puppy from Illinois? If you haven’t, he has one remarkable tale to tell.
The 9-pound, 3-month-old puppy was discovered in a milk crate in Chicago Heights and brought in to the South Suburban Humane Society on October 30. He was in bad shape, his ribs poking out from underneath his brown coat. And he desperately needed surgery to remove a blockage in his abdomen.
The society posted photos of Phoenix on their Facebook page with a note that asked for “prayers and support that this beautiful little soul can pull through the abuse and neglect he suffered.”
On November 1, a day after undergoing surgery, the shelter made another request from fans. “Take a photo of your pets, children, or you willing healing love to Phoenix and hashtag it #loveforPhoenix,” the Facebook post said. “Share your photos and let’s start a wave of love symbolic for all homeless pets in need.”
Well, what happened next was nothing short of amazing. Fans responded in droves on Facebook and Twitter, passing along get-well-soon wishes with the tag #loveforPhoenix. They posted photos of their own dogs and cats with signs urging Phoenix to stay strong.
Just like that, Phoenix went from being all alone in the world to being a well-loved dog in the world of social media. And, though the odds were stacked incredibly high against him, Phoenix started to get better. According to Emily Klehm, CEO of the South Suburban Humane Society, those good thoughts and love notes seemed to do the trick.
“He had a miraculous recovery, there’s no other way for me to say it. His temperature wasn’t coming up, he wasn’t getting better, and we didn’t know why. And then he just turned around,” she told NBC Chicago.
“I really do believe it was that wave of love that people started sending his way.”
What do you think? Is a hashtag of love to thank for Phoenix’s miraculous healing? Share your thoughts below!
