An Innocent Dog Paid the Price: Help Kusha Recover After Being Poisoned

Kusha is a gentle neighborhood dog who has never had a family to call his own, but he has always had a community that knows and cares about him. Friendly, trusting, and especially fond of children, Kusha spent his days quietly surviving on the streets, relying on the kindness of those who stopped to feed him.

Then, in a single heartbreaking moment, everything changed. A week ago, Kusha was found convulsing in the middle of town near a church. His back legs had already become paralyzed, but somehow, despite unimaginable pain, he dragged himself to the home of a man who occasionally fed him. By the following day, his front legs had stopped working as well. Unable to help financially, the man reached out to Big Little Life Animal Rescue International, desperate to save his friend.

Kusha was rushed to the emergency veterinary hospital, where doctors discovered he was suffering from severe poisoning that had left him completely paralyzed. He was immediately hospitalized and began intensive treatment, including IV fluids, medications, an antidote commonly used in suspected tuberculosis medication poisoning, and around-the-clock supportive care.

For nearly a week, there was little improvement, and every day felt uncertain. Then, at last, Kusha gave everyone a reason to hope. His body has finally begun responding to treatment. While he remains critically ill and has a long road ahead, that small sign of progress means he has not given up—and neither have we.

As more information came to light, the heartbreaking truth emerged. The day before Kusha became ill, witnesses reported that a woman became angry after two homeless dogs barked at her while she was walking her own dog. The following day, she returned carrying food intended for those strays. Kusha had not been involved in the earlier encounter. He simply wandered over first and eagerly ate the food before the other dogs could reach it. It is believed the food had been laced with tablets used to treat tuberculosis—medication that can be fatal to dogs.

Kusha was an innocent victim.

Today, he continues to fight for his life. He still requires hospitalization, medications, constant monitoring, and will likely need extensive rehabilitation as doctors work to determine how much movement he can regain. His recovery will take time, and his veterinary expenses continue to grow.

💜 You can help give Kusha a second chance. Your tax-deductible donation will help cover his lifesaving medical care and rehabilitation so he can continue fighting toward recovery. Every gift, no matter the size, brings him one step closer to healing.

If you're unable to donate, please consider sharing Kusha's fundraiser. Together, we can give this gentle soul the opportunity to recover from an act of unimaginable cruelty and experience the kindness he has always shown to others.

Thank you for standing with Kusha and Big Little Life Animal Rescue International as they fight to save his life.

8/3/26 Update: KUSHA IS BEGINNING TO RESPOND

Kusha has now spent a week at the clinic after the poisoning left him unable to use all four legs. He is finally holding his head up on his own and has started eating a little baby food. These may seem like small changes, but they are things he could not do before.

Although these are encouraging signs, Kusha remains in serious condition and still cannot urinate on his own. The doctors placed a catheter and drained about 300 ml of urine. There was pus in it, which may mean he is also dealing with an infection. He has also been sent for X-rays so the doctors can better understand what else may be going on and how to continue his treatment.

He still needs hospitalization, IV fluids, medications, vitamins, catheter care, more tests, and most likely rehabilitation.

He is finally moving in the right direction. Please help us keep Kusha receiving the treatment he needs. Every day matters right now.

8/14/26 Update: KUSHA IS WALKING

Kusha’s treatment has continued with IV fluids, medications, vitamins, and close monitoring. He has remained weak, and his back legs were still not responding normally. But finally, Kusha walked.

His steps are unsteady and he is still very weak, but he got up and moved on his own legs. He also peed and pooped by himself, something he had not been able to do since the poisoning.

This is real progress. Kusha still needs more IV treatment, medications, monitoring of his bladder and urinary infection, and time to rebuild strength and coordination in his legs. He is not fully recovered, but today he showed us just how far he has already come.

I will never understand people who look at a homeless dog and decide his life does not matter. How does someone think it is okay to hurt a living being simply because no one is standing beside him. And then there are people who stop and do what they can. And every person who did not scroll past and helped keep his treatment going. THANK YOU!

Watch the video. Kusha is walking. ❤️Please help us continue the treatment that got him this far.