This Dog Was Starved and Left to Die on the Streets – But Look at Him Now…

21 Dec, 2016 by Just An American

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The report of a dead dog found inside a crate in the middle of a very busy intersection was received by the Texas Police Department’s Animal Cruelty Division. They immediately took action. When they arrived what they found appeared to be a deceased dog that was left dead laying in a crate completely covered in feces. This poor female dog was severely emaciated and her ribs and bones were literally protruding.

While the officers were inspecting the poor ‘remains’ of the dog one of them caught sight of what she thought was the dog’s rib cage moving as if she were still breathing slightly.

“We realized she was alive, but just barely, so we rushed her to the Austin Animal Center where vets began emergency treatment,” described Officer Wagner. “Her temperature was too low to even register on a thermometer and she wasn’t moving at all. We didn’t think there was any way she would survive.”

The dog was estimated to be one year-old and weighed only 9.5 pounds, they named her Sophie. Veterinary Technician, Elizabeth Mancera, remembers the moment she met Sophie like it was yesterday.

“The detectives pulled up and said they had a dog who was barely alive. They handed her almost-lifeless body to me and I laid her on the exam table. She was covered in feces and freezing cold and wet. I talked to her the whole time and even though she couldn’t move her body, she looked up at me with pleading eyes. I kept telling her she would be okay.”

“Everyone thought she was going to die,” said Elizabeth. “During those first few hours I just talked to her and told her she was loved and that nothing bad would ever happen to her again. I told her she needed a name and I picked Sophie. When I told her that was her name, she raised her head for the first time and looked at me. I knew then, Sophie would live.”

Elizabeth received permission to foster poor Sophie in her home where she would receive around-the-clock care.

Elizabeth never left her side and this selfless act saved Sophie.

The cruelty officers issued a news release about where Sophie was found and the conditions she was in and an animal advocacy group issued a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for starving and abandoning her.

As the weeks went by, Sophie continued to heal, learning what life was like as a beloved pet. She stayed with Elizabeth and her family, walking a few more steps every day and eventually trotting around the house. Slowly she gained weight, reaching 14 pounds, then 20 and finally getting to a normal weight of 25 pounds, almost three times what she weighed the day she was rescued.

Elizabeth recalls the moment she knew Sophie was going to be hers, permanently. “It was right around Thanksgiving and I was watching Sophie gently play with my dog. She was so happy and I could see a special connection between them. After all Sophie and I had been through, I knew she was going to be my dog. I reached down and kissed her, letting her know she had found her forever home.”

These are the stories that I am happy to report each time. Good Samaritans are far and few between to find, especially when it comes to animals. God Bless our Good Samaritans out there, may they find those that are in need of their service.