Holding on to hope, a family decided to go against a vet's recommendation and took a chance on a miracle for their special needs puppy.

In November 2020, a veterinarian didn't have a positive outlook for the dog during an appointment, recommending that the family put him down. At 3 weeks old, the puppy suffered from severe brain and nerve damage. The vet believed it was unlikely he would survive.

Aware of the added work and responsibilities, the family didn't want to give up on Beans. Special needs dogs require an extra level of commitment, compared with other pets. These dogs might have physical impairments such as paralyzed or missing limbs, blindness or deafness. They could also have behavioral problems or negative medical diagnoses.

Those with a special needs dog or looking to adopt one must ask themselves whether their lifestyle can accommodate the dog's needs and if they can meet its medical care requirements.

This family didn't let anything deter them from giving Beans everything. Only a few months later, their German shepherd was hopping around, living his best life. A June 20 TikTok video posted to the account @motherofgermanshepherds offers a glimpse of the dog's life now. The caption reads: "Our special needs pup, Beans, is living proof that sometimes you get a miracle."

His running around and living life to the fullest stood out to viewers. Instead of gracefully landing on his feet, Beans marches and stomps his paws down. It's a unique move, but it works for him as he keeps up with the rest of the doggy crew.

Beans doesn't let his disability stop him from truly being a dog. Along with his German shepherd siblings, he's enjoying a life filled with love, playing and snuggles.

The owner believes the other dogs have an idea that Beans is special, saying that "they all give him more of a pass than they do each other."

Newsweek reached out to @motherofgermanshepherds via TikTok for additional comment.

Viewer Reactions

The TikTok video has amassed over 1.3 million views, 217,500 likes and 923 comments.

"He walks with PURPOSE," commented one viewer.

A second said: "Thank you for not giving up on him! He's precious! GSD's are the absolute best always no matter what! He's stunning!"

Another added: "People have issues with imperfect things, but with a little bit of love and care anything is great."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.