“[It] was beyond our wildest expectations.”
Published on Dec 18, 2024 at 10:50 AM
The members of the Missouri Stream Teams cleanup crew in Jefferson City know all about finding treasures in the trash. Over the years, they’ve uncovered everything from mannequins to money. But this past March, team members parsing through a cleanup site discovered something that stopped them in their tracks.
“Until earlier this year, our life-saving efforts were focused on cutting open plastic bottles and rescuing wildlife,” Missouri Stream Teams wrote in a Facebook post about the event. “But what we found this time was beyond our wildest expectations.”
At first, they mistook the fuzzy lump for a stuffed animal. Then they looked closer and realized the truth.
“What initially looked like a dumped, closed bag of stuffed plush animals was, in reality, a scared, cold, thirsty, hungry, shivering puppy dog,” Missouri Stream Teams wrote.
Team members knew exactly what they had to do.
“Immediately, I put my hand on it, and it was warm, and it was alive,” Stream Teams coordination biologist Brian Waldrop told The Dodo. “[I] cradled it, cuddled it, said, ‘Oh, bless you,’ … [I felt] so blessed to have come across this little fella.”
Despite his circumstances, the puppy had no problem trusting his rescuers.
“He was so warm and gentle,” Waldrop said. “[He had] such a kind demeanor.”
Waldrop quickly got to work organizing care for his new friend. The puppy needed food, water, shelter, veterinary attention and a bath.
“[We] got him to a place where it was warm,” Waldrop said. “We gave him some water, and then I called my wonderful girlfriend and said, ‘Get the kitchen sink ready. I’m bringing something home.’”
With a little TLC, the puppy, later named Dude, began to thrive. His dust-covered coat regained its brilliant white shine.
It wasn’t long before Waldrop realized his neighbor was looking to adopt a pet. The circumstances felt like fate.
“He goes, ‘It’s my birthday. And I always wanted a white dog,’ not knowing I already had a white dog coming home,” Waldrop said.
Now Waldrop gets to visit Dude all the time. He’s watched the pup transform into the happiest boy.
“He is such a big, warm, gentle … 60-plus pounds of joy,” Waldrop said.
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Waldrop is grateful for his team members, who work tirelessly to maintain the beauty of their local streams. Without them, Dude wouldn’t be where he is today.
“I can’t thank my volunteers enough for picking up all the nasty stuff alongside me,” Waldrop said. “Every once in a while, you find something special out there in the trash.”
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Dogs Stuck In Flooded Canal With ‘No Way Out’ Hope Someone Will Notice Them
“There’s no way in, and there’s no way out.”
On Christmas Day last year in New Orleans, it rained nonstop from morning to night. While most people stayed indoors to avoid the bad weather, two pitties found themselves stuck outside in the downpour.
A New Orleans resident was walking by one of the city’s canals when they noticed two dogs trapped at the bottom. Knowing how dangerous the situation was for the pups, they immediately called Zeus’ Rescues for help.
“I was like, ‘Oh they’re not gonna survive in that long. It’s a torrential rain coming in,’” Michelle Cheramie, director of Zeus’ Rescues, told The Dodo.
When the Zeus’ Rescues team arrived, the dogs were both terrified — understandable, considering what humans had just put them through.
“When we first got there, their barks were scared barks,” Cheramie said. “And then, once we got over into the canal with them, I noticed their barks turned a little bit higher, which usually means, ‘Hey. You’re not as scary as I thought you were.’”
As heartbreaking as it is to see dogs stuck in a canal, according to Cheramie, it’s something Zeus’ Rescues sees all too frequently.
“It is such a common place for people to dump animals,” Cheramie said. “There’s no way in, and there’s no way out.”
Thankfully for these dogs, rescuers arrived just in time. As the rain came down and the water got more and more dangerous, Cheramie coaxed the pups to safety.
The female pup, whom the rescuers named Francis, was the first to brave the rushing stream. Once Norman, the male pup, saw his sister take the leap, he quickly followed.
Cheramie rushed the siblings over to the Zeus’ Rescues facility, where they received the care they needed. Despite being stuck in a cold, dirty canal, the pups didn’t have any major health concerns. In fact, they recovered remarkably quickly.
“They’re unflappable with their happiness,” Cheramie said.
Although they were rescued a few months ago, Francis and Norman are both still looking for their forever families. After being rescued on such a cold, rainy day, what these dogs are hoping for now is a home where they can soak up as much warmth as possible.
“They love to be in the sunshine and will just lay out like a cat in the sun,” Cheramie said. “They’re perfect angels.”
If you’re interested in adopting Norman and Francis, you can fill out an application here. If you’d like to support Zeus’ Rescues, you can make a donation here.
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