The heartwarming recovery of a Knoxville dog that vets said should be euthanized after a serious road accident has melted hearts online, as the dedication of her newfound family won praise.
Owner Brittaney Allen shared the inspiring journey to social media this week, documenting the recovery of dog Knox, who was found after being hit by a car. The "hero" dog is now a full-fledged member of the Allen family, despite being told it was "time to say goodbye" just last month.
In the video, which has now had over 3.2 million views, Allen explained that they were on a "long road trip" when they witnessed Knox getting hit by a car going 75 mph on a mountain highway.
"When we went back to pick her up, she was barely alive, but she was alive," she wrote. "It was a miracle she made it through the night.
According to Allen, they attempted to find her owners by calling shelters and social media call-outs, but were unable to find anyone. The shelter concluded that she was likely dumped, given her location on the highway.
"A few days later one of the vets called to say she thought it was time to say goodbye. She started having seizures and was completely immobile. I felt it in my gut [that] it was too soon. I had her transferred to a neurologist instead."
Allen explained that the neurologist confirmed her hopes that Knox was able to survive and recover, as shown by the "beautiful" MRI results. "She just needed more time to heal. He sent her home with us to do just that," she wrote.
Meet my heroâ™¥ï¸ #rescuedog #dogsofttiktok #rescueanimals
It took dedication from the family to aid the recovery, with dog diapering, sponge baths and hand feeding. Adorable footage showed the family laying a blanket over Knox, as she rested on a dog bed. One clip even showed them carrying her in from the car using a DIY stretcher made from a blanket.
Now, thanks to the TLC of the Allen family, Knox is walking again and "acting more like a dog everyday."
Each year, according to the ASPCA, approximately 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized, leaving viewers of this viral video thankful Knox wasn't one of them, as she so nearly was.
"The dog's worst day turned out to be the beginning of her happiest time on this earth. Remember that when you think you're done," notes one TikTok viewer.
"If anybody wants to see the manifestation of 'love'...look here," wrote another.
Attention also turned to the Allen family and the efforts they put in to save Knox's life and turn it completely around. "You are heaven sent," wrote one user.
The dedication shown by dog rescuers has been highlighted by viral videos in recent months, and thankfully for rescue animals across the U.S., the Allen family members aren't the only "heaven sent" ones.
Last week, one man went viral after camping outside of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter for five hours before it opened to ensure he adopted his dream dog.
Dr. Brian Eberhart arrived at 8 a.m. prepared with a camping chair and a book. Eberhart's heart was set on Elliot, now named Leo, who had previously been in the foster care of his neighbor.
"He was there from around 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. when we opened. We saw his lounge setup outside and just had to talk to him and found out he was there to ensure he had a chance to adopt Elliot," Anthony Mercurio from the Palm Springs Animal Shelter told Newsweek.
"He had even said there were others interested in Elliot that came by at 11 a.m. but once they found out we didn't open until 1 p.m. that day, they just gave up and left," said Mercurio.
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