It’s unbelievable how heartless some people can be to their pets. Countless dogs have been abandoned by their owners in horrible ways — not only leaving them on their own but leaving them in terrible condition.
Thankfully, there are also good people in the world who will look out for these neglected pets and give them a second chance. Like one dog, who was found in shocking condition but is now unrecognizable after a makeover.
Last month, the Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Florida responded to an emergency call about a dog in need of immediate medical attention.
They discovered a heartbreaking sight: the dog, named Petal, was found with her mouth taped shut and legs taped together after being abandoned by her owner.
“She is extremely weak, dehydrated, emaciated, and as you can see, she has suffered neglect for some time,” Poodle and Pooch Rescue wrote on Facebook.
She was in such bad shape that the rescue was unsure if they could even help, saying that the case sounded “dire,” but a volunteer headed out to pick the poor dog up: “We want to give her the best shot possible at the life she deserves.”
Petal was taken to East Orlando Animal Hospital where she was examined by vets. In addition to being dehydrated and malnourished, she had cataracts and infections in both eyes, and was unable to stand on her own.
Vets gave her IV fluids, and she got her own bed and room to decompress. However, the rescue team had to take careful steps considering the dog’s delicate shape. They said they could not “give her all the food she wants,” even though she was starved, because it would be unsafe for her system.
They also couldn’t groom Petal, even though she was in visibly bad shape: “We did not want to risk a bath or groom yet because she is so frail, we did not want to give her the additional stress,” they wrote on Facebook. “Plus we were worried the water and shivering while drying could cause her to go into shock.”
The rescue continued to give Petal the best care, and got a better sense of her medical condition. She is blind and likely deaf, and “very much afraid of human touch,” the rescue wrote. But she has been responding well to treatment: she’s eating well, and has even started to walk on her own again.
“This may not seem like much, but when she came to us on Saturday, she couldn’t even sit on her own, let alone stand or walk,” Poodle and Pooch wrote, sharing a video of Petal walking around the yard. “We did a happy dance when we got this video.”
Petal continued to get better and better, and a few days ago she was finally removed from IV fluids.
And even better, she was finally able to get a much-needed grooming!
Petal got a major makeover from a groomer named Katie, and with her fur groomed and a stylish bow on her head, she looks unrecognizable from the emaciated dog they found just weeks ago.
“She looks like a different dog!” the rescue wrote. “They said she feels so soft.”
In other good news, they reported that Petal’s “sassy” personality was starting to shine through now that she’s regained her health.
“That made our day!” Poodle and Pooch wrote. “Yes, girl! Show us your sass!”
Petal is still on the road to recovery, and they need to continue monitoring her diet and calorie intake, but they said she “continues to have more good days than bad days.”
In the meantime, it’s inspiring to see that Petal has a great new look, and a new attitude to go with it.
It’s shocking that somebody could abandon a dog like that, but we’re glad Petal is recovering in good hands — and she’s looking great.
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