What began as an ordinary workday in Philadelphia quickly turned into a life-saving rescue when a Good Samaritan noticed something moving inside a discarded trash bag on the property they were tending.
Alarmed, the worker tore the bag open — and froze.
Inside was a white-and-tan pit bull, barely able to move. His body and legs were stiff, leaving him able to lift only his head. Gently, the worker freed him from the bag, laid him on a piece of cardboard, covered him with a blanket, and called for help.
When the dog, later named Codi, arrived at the Pennsylvania SPCA, staff were heartbroken — and full of questions.
“What had happened to this poor soul?” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “Why had he been discarded like trash?”
Veterinarians soon realized Codi couldn’t stand. He underwent extensive testing while staff made sure he stayed hydrated, nourished, and comfortable. Day after day, rescuers stretched his limbs and massaged his muscles, refusing to give up on him.
Slowly — incredibly — Codi began to move.
First came small shifts. Then careful attempts to rise. Before long, the pittie took his first wobbly steps, stunning everyone who had been rooting for him.
With time, patience, and a whole lot of love, Codi grew strong enough to begin the search for a forever home. The Pennsylvania SPCA shared his story far and wide, posting on social media and even featuring him on a local news channel.
It didn’t take long for someone special to notice.
Just one month after being pulled from a trash bag, once paralyzed and abandoned, Codi went home.
“The odds may have seemed against him, but he never gave up,” the SPCA wrote. “Last week, it all paid off.”
Though still a little unsteady on his feet, Codi is thriving with his new family — living proof that kindness and perseverance can change everything.
“His recovery was pretty remarkable,” said Gillian Kocher, Pennsylvania SPCA’s director of public relations. “And though he’s still a little wobbly, he’s been adopted and is living the best life.”
To help more animals like Codi get their second chance, consider donating to the Pennsylvania SPCA.
