When Meagan Penman was travelling through Thailand, she stumbled upon a rather usual dog. With his back limbs paralysed, the tick-infested dog dragged himself towards her with his front paws, and quickly made his way into her heart (warning: the video does contain some NSFW language right at the beginning).

Capturing footage of Leo, as Penman took to calling him, the dog’s dragging his hind legs over the Thai sand became a viral hit online when the video was shared on Reddit.

When the local dog shelters refused to take on Leo, Penman took to social media to raise the funds to save the dog. Using a crowd-sourcing website and a Facebook page, Leo made a much needed visit to the vets where an X-ray revealed his back had been broken. His hind legs would never walk again. The dog was also malnourished, having taken to eating sand in order to survive.

Leo's x-ray in a Thai animal hospital [Facebook]

But Leo’s warmth and friendliness really struck a cord with Penman, who arranged to have Leo flown to her home in Canada to begin a new life.

Thanks to the generosity of the Internet, donations to Leo’s appeal meant Penman could procure a doggy wheelchair, so the canny canine no longer has to drag his paralysed half around.

Speaking to the Dodo, Penman said: “Now with the wheelchair he is able to go on two walks a day as well as the park,” she said. “He got to chase a squirrel for the first time the other day — his Canadian initiation.”

The dog’s health has dramatically improved, and he’s put on more than two kilos in weight.

Leo has since adjusted to his new life [Facebook]

“I'm sure he must be really happy to have a human around to give him attention,” Penman said. “When I found him on the beach that is really all he wanted, was attention from people. Nobody would give it to him though because he was in such a disastrous state. I don't think he will have that problem anymore though.”