They say cats have “nine lives” due to their ability to survive falls from great heights, but it’s also true for at least one dog, who is now in safe hands after surviving a 20-foot drop from an overpass.
According to a Facebook post by the Kentucky Humane Society, Griffin and Abigail McGreevy were walking to their bakery in Louisville, Kentucky on February 19 when they saw a stray St. Bernard running down an interstate overpass.
Worried that the dog would be stuck by a car, the couple and other bystanders attempted to corral the dog. However, the dog got scared and leapt over the side of the interstate, dropping 20 feet down.
The scene shocked onlookers, but when the McGreevys ran to check on St. Bernard, they were amazed that he survived the fall, injured but alive.
The bystanders comforted the injured dog, and soon officers from Louisville Metro Animal Services arrived to take him in and see if they could locate the dog’s owners.
However, no one came looking for him, so the stray dog ended up in the care of the Kentucky Humane Society. They named him “Ludwig van Beethoven” and got to work tending to his injuries.
“Being a large St. Bernard mix weighing close to 100 pounds, we were extremely concerned and immediately sent Ludwig to a specialist to see what damage the 20 foot fall did to his poor body,” KHS wrote on Facebook.
“X-rays taken revealed that Ludwig sustained a broken femur and three broken metacarpal bones that will require a specialized surgery to repair.”
While the surgery wouldn’t be simple nor inexpensive — they say the quote for the surgery was about $7,000 — they didn’t hesitate to give this poor dog the best possible treatment.
“Ludwig has been through so much already and we want to see him walk away from this tragedy with all four of his legs intact,” they wrote.
While the surgery was reportedly outside the nonprofit’s monthly veterinary budget, hundreds of followers were moved by Ludwig’s story and donated over $12,000 for his care, according to a Facebook fundraiser.
According to an update by KHS, Ludwig is not currently up for adoption: he will recover from his surgery in foster care, and later be made available for adoption if his fosters do not keep him for good.
But they say they’ve had a lot of adoption requests already, and it’s not hard to see why: “Everyone who meets Ludwig instantly falls in love with him!” KHS wrote.
The Humane Society also took the opportunity to thank everyone who helped Ludwig on the day of his shocking fall, calling the rescue “a true community effort.”
“From Abigail and Griffin who witnessed the scene and provided photos of the rescue efforts, to the onlookers who stayed with Ludwig and soothed him until help arrived, to the incredible and heroic Animal Control Officers who transported Ludwig to safety and then to KHS- you are the reason Ludwig is alive today and we are so grateful for all of you.”
What a miracle that Ludwig survived such a fall. We hope he will recover from his surgeries soon and have a very happy life ahead of him ❤️
Thank you to everyone who helped this poor dog! Share this amazing news!
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