Every time you lend a hand to dogs in distress, the weight of their sorrowful tales touches your heart. It’s a truth that you can never fully desensitize to the troubling realities of abandonment, mistreatment, and neglect!
Donna Lochmann, the Chief Life Saving Officer at Stray Rescue of St. Louis in Missouri, understands this all too well after years of rescuing these helpless companions. However, the rescue of Prayer was an unexpected and distressing experience.
When she and a colleague encountered this poor creature, the anguish on their faces was undeniable…
A Distressing Surprise
A concerned individual reached out to the Missouri rescue, reporting a dog abandoned in the lot adjacent to his property.
“A call came in after a man observed what he believed were tires being dumped in the lot nearby. Upon closer inspection, he discovered a small puppy trapped in a crate and hurried her back to his home,” SRSL stated in a Facebook update.
Both Donna and her fellow volunteer rushed to the location, but what they found left them utterly stunned.
A frail little puppy lay motionless inside a cramped crate, utterly vulnerable. In a gut-wrenching video shared by the rescue, her severe state of neglect was painfully evident.
“This small puppy was far too weak to stand – emaciated and trapped in her own filth – she was infested with maggots,” the rescue reported.
It was clear she had suffered grave abuse, and the rescuers were horrified that anyone could commit such acts against a dog.
“This is the most severe abuse we’ve come across in a long time,” the SRSL team remarked.
The most heartbreaking aspect was that her entire body was riddled with maggots. She had endured days lying in her own waste, leading to such a dire state.
The rescuers promptly transported her to a veterinary clinic. After a much-needed bath and the appropriate treatment, Prayer still exhibited signs of distress.
Then, another wave of heartbreak hit!
She Desperately Needs Humans Now
The veterinary staff determined that Prayer’s sodium levels were alarmingly high. This likely stemmed from her having consumed urine for an extended period, placing her in critical condition.
“We have to monitor her for seizures, uncoordinated movements, and potential loss of consciousness. The elevated sodium levels are likely due to prolonged ingestion of nothing but urine,” the rescue communicated in another Facebook post.
To prevent brain swelling, the team carefully lowered her sodium levels over time.
The encouraging news? Prayer eventually started eating!
While she initially only drank water and refused food upon arrival, she is gradually progressing towards recovery.
Even though Prayer has a long road ahead, her rescuers remain hopeful that she’ll soon overcome her struggles and rediscover a sense of well-being. After enduring such trauma in the past, she unquestionably deserves a brighter future and a new opportunity.
We wish you all the best, Prayer!
Stay healthy!
