Pet Lovers

[feline groovy]

That's nutty!  Animal lover who saved a baby squirrel's life celebrates the tiny creature's survival by staging a cutesie PHOTO SHOOT that show him posed just like a newborn baby

• Polly Weldon has been rehabbing squirrels as a volunteer at Merrill Animal Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, for over 10 years
• She recently saved the life of a young squirrel, who she named Cardboard after he was delivered in a cardboard box to the clinic, after being left for dead
• Despite being close to death and barely breathing when he arrived, the little squirrel made a miraculous recovery thanks to Polly's help and the work of a vet
• After a long and tough journey, Polly wanted to celebrate the squirrel's survival by having an adorable newborn photo shoot for him 

Daily Mail UK  PUBLISHED: 13:34 EST, 16 February 2018 | UPDATED: 14:07 EST, 16 February 2018

A veterinary technician who saved a baby squirrel's life after he had been left to die in a cardboard box celebrated his survival with an adorable newborn photo shoot.

Polly Weldon has been volunteering at the Merrill Animal Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, for ten years and seen her fair share of injured creates - but she was shocked when the squirrel was brought into the center, freezing cold, barely breathing, and on the brink of death.   

The animal lover quick sprang to action, enlisting the help of a veterinarian to help the squirrel, who she named Cardboard, after the box he was brought in.

Explaining how she come up with the name in a post shared on viral Facebook page Love What Matters, Polly shared that the receptionist at the clinic had noted that 'nothing good comes in a cardboard box' when he was brought in - so they decided to bring a bit of positivity to the term by giving it to the squirrel.  

And it seems that positive spirit certainly worked; after a heroic effort by Polly and the vet, the little squirrel was out of the woods and once again able to breathe properly.

After a long road to recovery, Cardboard eventually overcame his awful ailments with the help of Polly - who was so ecstatic, she set up a heartwarming newborn photo shoot celebrating the squirrel's life.

Styled just like the cutesie images newborn babies are so often pictured in, the shoot shows Cardboard lying down on a pale pink sheet wearing a tiny blue polka dot ribbon headband with a little flower on top.  

He is also pictured sound asleep on the sheet without a headband but surrounded by pretty flowers.  

'I was so thankful that the little guy survived his rough start, I thought it would be cute to do a newborn photo shoot for him,' Polly shared. 

'There is a heating pad under his blanket in the picture, so he was sleeping very soundly and didn't even wake when I put the ribbon over his head.'

While Polly could finally relax knowing Cardboard is safe, it wasn't easy to get to that happy place. 

When he was first brought in to the clinic, she explained that he was so cold and still they had to warm him up with a heating pad. 

As soon as he was warmed up with the heating pad he began to move slowly, however that was just the beginning. 

'His breathing seemed labored and the veterinarian was concerned about pneumonia,' she shared.

'We did radiographs and Cardboard was given antibiotics. After lots of care and attention and late nights, he seems to have made a full recovery and is growing every day.'

As for how Cardboard is currently doing, Polly shared that he has since opened his eyes and 'is discovering so many great things about life. His favorite thing is a warm towel fresh out of the dryer.'

(special alert to @mistriTsquirrel)

[puttypiesmom]

So cute! Thanks for posting this.  

[Bird mama]

@feline groovy  Since I only know about birds imprinting (on me in particular), I wonder if Cardboard imprinted on people.

What a beautiful little squirrel.

[CLEM]

Just adorable.

[haddon9]

Very cute! Love the flowered headband!

I wonder what happens to him once he's bigger & stonger?  He certainly won't be able to go out on his own.

[meallen616]

@feline groovy,

[Noel7]

Camping with parents when I was a kid, my Mom and I befriended a young squirrel.  So cute, we got peanuts for him and the older squirrel that stayed near by him.  He was very playful and stayed around us as long as we were there.

The other day, I saw Instagram videos of a baby squirrel a woman had rescued.  He loved being in the house with her and it looked like she had an older rescue squirrel running around, too.  The house was spotless.

[mistriTsquirrel]

Aww!!!  He is so sweet.  

Thanks, @feline groovy!!

I don't know why that receptionist said nothing good ever comes in a cardboard box.  (She must not be familiar with shopping on the internet.)  And what a thing to say to someone who is bringing in an animal they're trying to help. 

[qvcfreak]

I like him, too cute