When a stocky bulldog quietly began trailing behind PAWS caregivers outside the Kocourek Medical Center, our team knew something was wrong. The gentle 2-year-old had been wandering alone and instinctively sought out the people who could help her. With a hopeful tail wiggle, she followed our staff straight through the doors and into safety. 

Inside, it became clear just how much Gigi was struggling. Like many bulldogs, her flat-faced features made it hard for her to breathe, and she needed significant care to improve her quality of life. Our veterinarians performed a complex, multi-step airway surgery to open her airways and remove obstructive tissue — a precise procedure designed to help her finally breathe, play, and live comfortably. 

Throughout her recovery, Gigi had everything she needed with the expert care of our medical team. Support from our feeding partner, Kismet, is a huge help in keeping patients like Gigi happy and healthy with nourishing food, allowing us to focus on this crucial recovery period. Within days, her transformation was striking: she was breathing easily, resting soundly, and showing off her sweet, snorty, endlessly wiggly personality. 

Once cleared for adoption, Gigi didn’t wait long. A family of bulldog lovers saw her on our website and rushed in that same afternoon. In a moment of perfect timing, they met her outside the Adoption Center as she returned from a walk. Inside, Gigi sealed the connection by climbing into their laps and charming their 10-year-old daughter — and that was it. She had found her home. 

Today, Gigi is thriving. She trots confidently up her apartment stairs, tucks herself into her crate each night, and greets neighbors with cheerful enthusiasm. Her family is dedicated to her ongoing care, monitoring her healing, watching her weight, and working with their veterinarian to manage a possible food sensitivity. Through it all, Gigi remains, as they say, a “wiggly ball of sunshine.” 

From wandering outside our doors to breathing freely, healing fully, and being embraced by a family who adores her, Gigi’s journey is a testament to the lifesaving medical work your support makes possible — and the joyful futures made real when an animal finally gets the chance to breathe easy.