MANILA, Philippines — A mongrel dog is set for a hero’s welcome
when she returns to the Philippines following surgery in the United
States to reconstruct her face after apparently saving two girls
from being hit by a motorcycle.
Kabang was released from the University of California’s Davis
Veterinary Hospital on Monday after eight months of treatment in
which her face was partially rebuilt and she was cured of cancer
and heartworm.
In 2011 Kabang, then aged two and pregnant, became a hero in the
Philippines after running in front of a motorcycle in what her
owner said was a deliberate act to save her daughter and niece who
were crossing a busy road.
Thousands of dollars were raised for her treatment through an
online campaign.
“I think I will cry when I see her. She’s like a member of our
family,” said owner Rudy Bunggal, a laborer who lives in a shanty
in a poor southern Philippine town, told AFP by phone on
Tuesday.
In the accident Kabang’s snout and part of her jaw were torn off
when the motorcycle flipped over, also damaging an eyelid.
The dog became a hero in the Philippines and an internet sensation
after local media reported how she had saved the girls by
deliberately leaping in front of the motorbike.
A website, Facebook page and Twitter account were set up in an
online fundraising drive, spearheaded by New York nurse Karen
Kenngott, which raised more than $20,000 for Kabang to be treated
in the United States.
“I am so happy that people stepped up to the plate to save this
little hero. I hope she has a long, happy life with her original
owners,” wrote Jean Belaire on Kabang’s Facebook page, which has
attracted more than 22,000 “likes”.
Kabang’s medical treatment was extremely complicated, with a team
of veterinarians at UC Davis specializing in oncology, infectious
diseases, dentistry, soft-tissue surgery and internal medicine
involved.
The university said in a statement it was not able to completely
rebuild her face, but that the surgeries had ensured she was better
protected against infection and she would be able live a normal
life.
Kabang is due to fly out of the United States aboard a commercial
flight later this week.
