About a week ago, a little dog named Branquelo had a near-death experience when he was hit by flames from a plane that crashed in Ubatuba, on the coast of São Paulo.
He was found running near the accident site, disoriented and with burns.
Branquelo was seriously injured in the accident, but fortunately survived. He suffered burns to his snout and eyes and now requires extensive care to fully recover.
According to Gazeta SP, the owners, who work at an amusement park near the accident site, did not have the financial means to pay for the dog’s treatment.
In light of this, the community of Ubatuba came together to help Branquelo, who was injured in the tragic plane crash that shook the city.
The survivor is receiving the necessary care thanks to the support of residents and professionals, such as veterinarian Alice Soares, who made the altruistic gesture of offering her services to the animal free of charge.
However, all this care comes with a cost. So Alice started an online fundraising campaign to cover the costs of Branquelo’s exams, medication, and food.
But she wasn’t the only one moved by the situation. Other colleagues also volunteered to help, and Branquelo will undergo ophthalmological and ultrasound examinations with other veterinarians.
“I performed the dermatology consultation, another veterinarian provided the ophthalmology consultation, a third performed the neutering, and a fourth performed the abdominal workup. Another colleague even paid for all the lab tests,” Alice noted.
Since then, Alice Soares has led the campaign to raise funds for the animal’s treatment. Fortunately, the number of donations exceeded expectations.
“It reached a scale we never imagined. We raised over R$6,000 in just 36 hours,” the doctor said in an interview with Gazeta SP.
A single donation was R$1,000, an amount that Alice suggested returning, since the goal had been exceeded, but the donor asked that the amount be used to treat other animals.
Detailed examinations are assessing the damage to Branquelo’s vision, as he is unfortunately at risk of losing sight in one eye due to the burns on his cornea.
The doctor explained that he can still see partially through his right eye, but the other eye may be completely compromised.
According to Alice’s updates, Branquelo has started dermatological treatment and is already playing with other dogs. Furthermore, the animal continues to receive daily monitoring and is already showing significant psychological improvement, interacting with other animals.
The accident
On January 9, a small plane overshot the runway at Ubatuba Airport, on the coast of São Paulo, and exploded on Cruzeiro Beach. The pilot died, but the four passengers—a couple and two children—were rescued alive.
The pilot, Paulo Seghetto, from Goiânia, died after being removed from the wreckage in cardiorespiratory arrest, despite attempts at resuscitation.
The survivors were Mireylle Fries, 41, her husband Bruno Almeida Souza, also 41, and their two children, ages 4 and 6. They were removed from the plane alive, conscious, and stabilized, and taken to the hospital. The family was later transferred to a medical facility in São Paulo.
According to the Maritime Fire Brigade (GBMar), the aircraft experienced an incident known as a “runway excursion,” when the plane leaves the runway during landing or takeoff.
