A few weeks ago, a man in St. Louis, Missouri, was on his way home from work when he noticed a tiny black-and-white dog sleeping at his bus stop. As the man got closer, he realized that the pup was tied to the bench, and she couldn’t stand up.
With the summer heat intensifying by the minute, the man immediately jumped in to save the dog.
“He actually just picked her up and carried her home,” Donna Lochmann, Stray Rescue of St. Louis’s chief life saving officer, told The Dodo. “Then he called us.”
A few moments later, Lochmann and her team arrived at the man’s house. The caller mentioned that the pup was incredibly thin, but Lochmann was shocked by her appearance when she finally saw her.
“She was emaciated, not just skinny,” Lochmann said. “She was outside on a little blanket, lying in the shade, but she couldn’t even stand. So, I picked her up and carried her to the Jeep.”
The pup, later named She-Ra, was too weak to stand, but Lochmann quickly learned that she could wag her tail. Despite the pain she was in, She-Ra was clearly happy to be in Lochmann’s presence.Stray Rescue of St. Louis
When She-Ra got to Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), the veterinary team gave her a full checkup. They didn’t know for sure what She-Ra’s past looked like, but they could tell from her condition that she didn’t grow up in a loving environment.
“I think she was kept in a small crate,” Lochmann said. “As a puppy, she had a really rough start.”
Luckily, She-Ra was in the best hands at SRSL. After some much-needed baths and a few more exams, the sweet girl was ready to start her healing journey.
The team immediately put She-Ra on a refeeding schedule, where she would eat small amounts of food multiple times a day to get her body used to processing nutrition again.
The pup still couldn’t move, so they happily carried her in their arms indoors and pushed her around in a stroller outside.Stray Rescue of St. Louis
The more she ate, the stronger she got, and soon She-Ra was starting to stand on her own.
Her body became fully adjusted to food two weeks later, so she graduated to a regular feeding schedule. Finally, she was ready for foster care.Stray Rescue of St. Louis
It wasn’t long before a loving foster family offered to take her home. With them, She-Ra’s world expanded even further.
“She was actually living in the foster home with a couple of other dogs, a cat, a monkey and a bird,” Lochmann said. “She got exposed to a whole lot and was doing really well. They had a huge fenced yard, and she just loved to run and play with the other dogs.”
She-Ra had a blast with her new foster family, but she was still hoping to find a forever home. Then, one day, she received the perfect adoption application.
“This one family filled out an application, and they actually sent an email, too, just saying how much they had fallen in love with her,” Lochmann said. “They just really wanted to give her a home. They felt like they had a lot of love to give, so the foster family met with them and instantly fell in love. When they came to the foster house to meet her for the first time, She-Ra went to the door, and their faces just lit up.”
She-Ra was ecstatic to go home with her forever family, and she’s been living the best life with them ever since.
“It’s just turned out to be a great home for She-Ra,” Lochmann said. “She gets all kinds of attention, and they take her places. She has plenty of love in her life right now.”
When Lochmann first laid eyes on She-Ra, she knew that the pup had a long journey in front of her. Today, the resilient dog’s past is far behind her. She-Ra is now stronger than ever and lives every day to the fullest.
Life is already great for She-Ra, and it just keeps getting better.
“Her story has a happy ending,” Lochmann said. “It’s a super happy ending for a girl who had nothing to start with. She’s just a happy dog.”
To help pups like She-Ra get the care they need, you can make a donation to Stray Rescue of St. Louis here.
What To Buy If You Just Adopted A Dog
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DIGGS Revol Collapsible Dog Crate
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Casper Dog Bed
Zuke’s Mini Naturals Training Dog Treats
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Frisco Dog Training & Potty Pads, 22 x 23-in
Vet’s Best Enzymatic Dog Toothpaste & Brush
Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart Dog Harness
Blueberry Pet Essentials Classic Dog Collar
Taglory Double-Sided Reflective Heavy Duty Dog Leash
Petsafe Cotton Dog Long Training Lead
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Driver Dodges Highway Traffic To Save Helpless Animal Stranded On Median
“[It’s] our team’s worst nightmare …”
By Ashley Ortiz
Last week, a dedicated volunteer from TRAPRS, a nonprofit animal rescue organization, spotted something alarming while driving on a highway in Austin, Texas. With the sun beginning to set and cars whizzing by, the rescuer, Karla, could see a lone dog stranded on the highway median — and no one was stopping to save her.
“[It’s] our team’s worst nightmare: seeing this randomly while driving,” TRAPRS wrote on Instagram. “With traffic picking up, we knew this dog had no good outcome if left to her own fate.”
Karla screeched to a halt, promptly pulling over onto the highway’s right shoulder. She didn’t have any of her typical rescue tools, but that didn’t stop her from trying to reach the dog.
The selfless volunteer jumped out of their car, dodging traffic to get to the poor pup. Without a leash or enticing treats on hand, Karla could only rely on calming techniques to lure the dog to her.
Thankfully, her approach worked, and she soon scooped the dog into her arms. A fellow volunteer, Alicia, arrived shortly after and helped Karla safely cross the highway again.
“Our team member, who was completely solo, jumped into action with ZERO gear on hand, not even a leash and was able to get this girl and carry her safely across 3 [lanes] of traffic,” TRAPRS wrote.
You can see footage from her rescue here:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFzGd3Gt_7z/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fman-on-way-to-work-finds-skeletal-puppy-tied-to-his-bus-stop#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A62971.699999809265%2C%22ls%22%3A60741.699999809265%2C%22le%22%3A62930.799999952316%7D
The dog, later named Sunset (Sunny), was beyond grateful to have been rescued. By the time she’d gotten to the rescuer’s car, the sun had already set and her appetite had exploded. She’d been foraging trash off the ground, thrown from passing cars, and she was finally ready for her first full meal.
“It’s clear that it’s been a while since she’s seen love,” TRAPRS wrote on Instagram.
You can see Sunny after her rescue here:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF6lHImNPXk/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fman-on-way-to-work-finds-skeletal-puppy-tied-to-his-bus-stop#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A62983.299999952316%2C%22ls%22%3A60741.699999809265%2C%22le%22%3A62930.799999952316%7D
Sunny has since found an emergency foster home through TRAPRS, although they sadly can’t keep her long. Still, the TRAPRS crew is dedicated to finding Sunny the perfect home. Now that she’s been in foster care for a few days, they have a better idea of what kind of home she would excel in.
“Sunny would do best in a calm environment,” TRAPRS’ director, Caitlin Chapman, told The Dodo. “She’s been through a lot and needs a patient family while she rests and comes out of her shell. She enjoys going outside for walks, taking naps and is quiet in her crate. She may do well with another calm dog. She could fare well in a home or apartment.”
The folks at TRAPRS are still searching for Sunny’s perfect home and are confident the right family will find her soon. Until then, they’ll keep showering the resilient girl with love and thanking their selfless rescuer for risking everything to help her.
“[W]e saved her!” TRAPRS wrote.
If you live in Austin, Texas, and are interested in fostering (or fostering-to-adopt) Sunny, you can email TRAPRS at fosterteam@traprs.org.
To help animals like Sunny get the care they need, you can donate to TRAPRS here.
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