A Los-Angeles-area animal rescue organization called “Rescue from the Hart” received a tip-off about a badly abused dog. When volunteers from the group came to the rescue, they found a dog whose owner had deliberately starved her for several months. Even for people accustomed to dealing with mistreated animals, it was shocking.
The poor dog was little more than a living skeleton, just skin and bones. She had a sad, haunted look in her eyes and she was so weak that her legs and paws had to be positioned for her. Her organs were starting to shut down and it really looked like she wasn’t going to make it. The dog was so fragile that handling her had to be done with great care. The staff at Rescue from the Hart promised themselves they’d do everything possible to save the dog. They named her Angel, perhaps because her recovery would require a miracle.
At first, Angel could only be given very small amounts of food at any one time. Your first instinct might have been to give this starving dog all the steak and hamburgers she could possibly eat. But paradoxically, too much food could have killed her. Gradually, Angel was able to eat more and soon had enough energy to get up without assistance and scarf down treats. She also got a lot of love from shelter volunteers and that must have made a big difference. One visitor was a little girl who stared lovingly into the dog’s eyes, letting Angel know that there were people who cared for her.
As Angel’s health improved, her spirits perked up. Her personality started to shine through: she was trotting and wagging her tail, starting to look like a normal, happy dog. Once fully recovered, Angel looked great and was able to run around and play with other dogs. That sad, haunted look was gone from her eyes. Best of all, she ended up finding a forever home.
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