Donna Lochmann, the chief life-saving officer at Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), is a passionate animal advocate with countless rescues to her name.
She frequently hopped in her car, roaming around St. Louis in search of neglected or injured animals that required her assistance. Additionally, she received numerous calls about furry pals who found themselves in distress.
So when a call came in about a dog hiding in the rubbish beneath a busy highway, she was quick to respond.
Help Is On The Way
The caller mentioned that they had passed by that area numerous times in the past few days and had consistently spotted this pup.
Upon her arrival, however, Lochmann couldn’t find the dog.
Fortunately, she decided to linger a little longer, and suddenly, she heard peculiar sounds emanating from a heap of trash.
As she got closer, she spotted a tiny, adorable face curiously peeking out.
Lochmann noticed the pup seemed a bit conflicted about her presence – should he approach her or flee?
This prompted the devoted rescuer to gradually move closer while speaking soothingly and offering him some tasty treats to help build his trust.
Although the pup, who later received the name Gibson, was hesitant to accept the food, he did let Lochmann pet him, which gave her the chance to carefully place a leash around his neck.
After a moment of mustering the courage to join her, Gibson finally decided to enter her car.
New Chapter
The journey back to the St. Louis shelter was smooth, and Gibson was treated to a warm bath and delicious food to satisfy his hunger.
Fortunately, since he was such a sweet and gentle boy, a dog lover noticed him and graciously offered him a loving foster home.
Gibson adapted quickly to his new surroundings and was more than eager to embrace this new chapter in his life.
According to Forbes, 6.3 million animals find their way into shelters across the United States each year, leading to severe overcrowding, and the Stray Rescue of St. Louis is no exception.
“Unfortunately, we have to implement another rescue freeze. We enjoyed being out on the streets this week, but the intake of animals is surpassing the outflow. We don’t want to do this, we’ve been trying to manage it, but it’s the reality we must address,” said the shelter in a Facebook post.
This is why I encourage everyone to visit their local shelters and lend a hand – whether by permanently adopting a pet or offering to foster them instead.
Your support will greatly benefit the shelter staff, the animals, and demonstrate to them that they are deserving of love!
