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“A New Life for Xiao Liu, the Little Survivor”

November 4, 2024

One day, I went over to my neighbor’s and found a heartbreaking scene—a mother dog biting her own puppy. The tiny pup whimpered in pain, rolling on the ground. I quickly scooped it up, checking for bites. At first, I thought the mother dog might be disciplining her pup, but the neighbor revealed a grim truth: this was her sixth puppy; the other five had been bitten to death. Only this one had survived.

On my next visit, I saw the pup scavenging for food, its tiny body frail. The mother was emaciated, likely unable to feed her pup. I rushed home to grab some goat milk, improvising a bowl from a takeout box. The puppy gulped it down, its tiny belly rounding with fullness for what was likely the first time in days. Milk residue clung to its mouth, and for a moment, it looked content. Before I left, I promised to return. When I came back a few days later, the puppy had a cold, sneezing constantly and looking even dirtier than before. I asked the neighbor if I could buy the pup, but he refused. A few days later, I returned to find the poor puppy gnawing on a piece of charcoal, clearly hungry. When it saw me, it trotted over, recognizing me and clinging to my feet as if it didn’t want to let go. Determined, I kept asking the neighbor, and finally, he agreed to let me take it for a small fee.

I named the little puppy “Xiao Liu,” meaning “Little Six,” for being the sixth and only surviving pup. At home, I fed it goat milk and gently cleaned it with warm water, trying not to scare it. I took Xiao Liu to the vet, who found bite wounds and old scars on its head and face. The vet treated the infected wounds and confirmed Xiao Liu’s left eye was slightly affected but wouldn’t impair its vision. With medication and lots of care, Xiao Liu began to heal, growing stronger each day.

As Xiao Liu settled in, it became my playful, mischievous little companion. It chewed on toys and slippers, followed me everywhere, and even became my little shadow during work. When Xiao Liu reached seven pounds, I took it for vaccinations, and it behaved perfectly, surprising even the vet. Now, Xiao Liu is healthy, happy, and part of my family. I’m grateful every day that I took Xiao Liu in and gave it the life its siblings never had.