Last week in St. Louis, Missouri, a dog faced a heartbreaking situation. Tied to a fence at an abandoned school, she was painfully thin, her strength almost gone.
No one knows how long she'd been stuck there, silently suffering. But then, something incredible happened. Someone noticed her before it was too late and called animal control right away.
As the rescuers slowly gave her small meals, she began to gain weight safely. Now, it’s been over a week since they saved her and gave her the name Levey. Every day, she gets a little stronger and more confident.
“Levey’s personality is amazing,” Thomson said. “She is so grateful for love, affection, and loves other dogs. All she wants to do is play.”
“They have similar play styles and just wanted to wrestle now that they both are feeling more energetic than they have in a long, long time,” Thomson said.
“It’s a miracle someone even saw her,” Stray Rescue of St. Louis wrote on Facebook.
The moment animal control saw her condition; they rushed her to the Stray Rescue clinic and got her the lifesaving treatments she needed. She was in terrible shape—weak, starving, and covered in filth.
“Even though she was in horrible shape, she was so sweet,” said Natalie Thomson, the shelter’s chief communications officer. “She was weak and all bones, but she trusted us and wanted to cuddle with our vet techs.”
The rescuers wanted to give her lots of food right away, but they had to be careful. Because she was so thin, eating too much too fast could make her very sick. It’s something called refeeding syndrome, and it can be dangerous. So, they fed her slowly, little by little, to keep her safe.
Levey’s best friend is a dog named Alaric. He was also saved from starvation by the same shelter. From the moment they met, they liked each other. It’s like they understand what the other went through.
Levey is feeling much better than she was a week ago, but she still needs some time before she’s ready to be adopted. Right now, she’s looking for a foster family to care for her until she’s strong enough and ready to be spayed.
Stray Rescue of St. Louis shared on Facebook, “She’s ready for the fun part … to be fattened up!”
Now that Levey is safe and cared for, all she wants is to feel loved.