Taka the Shiba Inu nearly lost his life. The eight-year-old pup’s house caught on fire, and he was left trapped inside a porch that was screened. Taka’s family tried to save him, but they were unable to and had to flee before they lost their own lives.
Then, something incredibly miraculous occurred: Taka broke free. He managed to dash down the street, in pain from burns. A neighbor was able to take him to the Care More Animal Hospital, located in Martinez in Georgia.
Taka suffered severe burns, which affected his belly, mouth, ears, and eyes, and he sadly wound up losing his vision. In order to treat inhalation burns when Taka began facing breathing issues, he had to be moved to the University of Georgia’s clinic.
When Taka was strong enough, he returned to Care More Animal Hospital. Emily Martin, one of the vets at the hospital, developed quite a soft spot for him. She was one of the vets on duty when Taka first came in, screaming in pain, and she remembers how he relaxed when she sang to him.
Taka’s family decided to surrender him to Martin because his health would require the care she knew how to give. For now, Martin has become Taka’s temporary Mom. When she brought him home one night so he wouldn’t have to sleep at the hospital, they wound up staying up all night. Upon returning to the hospital the next day, they were exhausted and sept together, both inside Taka’s cage! A photo of this nap has since been posted online and gone viral.
Now, vets cannot be certain what Taka’s future will be like given the severity of his injuries, but they are confident he will recover well enough to be able to leave hospital care eventually, though there may be some long-term effects.
Despite everything he has been through, Taka is gentle and sweet, even when he’s in pain. He loves cuddles and belly rubs, and he very much enjoys any kind of food you give him. Martin has considered adopting Taka officially, but given the fact that she already has five pups at home as well as a very young baby, she believes Taka will be better off in a family that can give him all the care and focus he needs.
If you’re interested in adopting Taka when he is ready, you can contact the Care More Animal Hospital here.
Images & Feature Image Source: Care More Animal Hospital