Mumbai man saves stray from the gallows and helps it walk again

An animal rescuer’s perseverance not only saved a dog’s life, but also helped Manchu, who was paralysed after a hit-and-run accident, walk again.

Last June, IT professional Bhavin Bhatt, who is also involved in rescuing strays, found a dog lying drenched in the rain on the footpath of Manchubhai Road (Bhatt named the dog after the street he was found in) at Malad East.

“Manchu was paralysed. The accident had caused a nerve compression in its spine. Most vets said there was no hope, and suggested to euthanise Manchu to relive it of pain,” said Bhatt.

Not wanting to give up, the 28-year-old consulted over seven vets while Gargi Gogoi who runs foster for strays helped keep Manchu at her kennel.

“A few months later, in September, Bhatt took Manchu to veterinarian Dr Deepa Katyal for Pain Management therapy, and that was the first time he saw some improvement,” Bhatt tells us.

Dr Katyal said, “Due to compression and inflammation in the spine from the trauma injury, it could not stand up and would only crawl. We used several modules of acupuncture, cold laser, physiotherapy and massages to treat him. A month later he began to show some leg movements,” she said.

Finally, after seven acupuncture sessions, five months of pain management and a handmade cart-support later, he could walk again.

To help the dog get acquainted with what it was like to be on his feet again, Bhatt also arranged for a special walking cart. “Dog carts cost around Rs 30,000. Since I did not have that much money, I researched for alternatives and met Dr Mukesh Doshi, who specialises in prosthetics. He made a cart using PVC pipes and tyres in a minimal budget and it helped Manchu to begin moving,” said Bhatt.

While vets and many of his friends have laud Bhatt’s efforts, he insists that rather Manchu has taught him the most important lesson of life, “not give up and believe in miracles.”