Ukasz Muniowski and his wife Natalia were cycling through the Polish countryside in 2015 when they saw something. A little dog, she was hiding in a ditch across the street. When the pair decided to halt, they quickly discovered that the dog was hurt.

To The Dodo, Muniowski stated:

“Oh, a dog,” my wife said. We came to a standstill. It was terribly unpleasant when she passed away. Her hind legs were twitching and not touching the ground as she stood with her back in the air. She had never seen anything like that, so trying to describe it is difficult.

Muniowski and his wife were even more motivated to assist the dog, who they subsequently gave the name Bobby, as a result. They left their bikes there and proceeded to the ditch.

Said Muniowski:

He discovered a big stone blocking one side of the area. While Natalia checked to see if the tiny dog had crossed to the other side, I started to dig with my hands under her. Although Bobby began to growl, it wasn’t a frightening roar. He smelled it and then placed his paws on it in my palm when I was eventually able to lift the stone and carefully place my hand there.

As soon as Muniowski gained Bobby’s confidence, he lifted her up and gave her a hug. In order to get Bobby to a veterinarian as soon as possible, the pair then rode their bikes back into town.

Although Bobby was filthy and underweight, her rear legs, which seemed to be damaged, caused them greater anxiety. In fact, according to Muniowski, one of Bobby’s rear legs seemed to be “hanging by a single thread.”

The veterinarian speculated that Bobby may have been struck by a car or captured in a game trap, and that she had likely been carrying her injuries about for three to four weeks. She didn’t have a family, and her Bobby was so badly damaged that the vet wasn’t sure what type of quality of life she would have.