Annie McHound was saved by a village.
Annie McHound, a puppy of three years old, was found by a family hiding in a corner of their backyard. It was a scorching summer day. They didn’t know how long she had been there but they knew from her frailty that she was running out of time.
They placed the dog in a large Tupperware box and called Stray Rescue of St. Louis immediately to get help.
“She was in really bad shape when I got there,” Donna Lochmann, the chief life-saving officer at Stray Rescue of St. Louis, said. “I really don’t think she would’ve lasted much longer.”
The family was able to quickly request assistance. According to Lochmann the dog was thinner than ever and covered in fleas.
Lochmann called the shelter’s medical staff to alert them to Annie’s condition while she was transferred into her car. At that point, Annie’s devoted village of life-saving volunteers began to take shape.
When Annie arrived, the team’s first move was a thorough cleaning of the area.
Annie couldn’t stand on her own after the wash. Annie was immediately understood by the group. They wrapped Annie in a beautiful blanket.
She was not responding to fluids. The team tried to administer fluids to her, but she wasn’t getting better. They decided to transport her to an emergency center so she could receive a blood transfusion.
Within those first few hours of meeting her, Annie’s tribe had already fallen in love with her and could not wait for her to return. They wanted to continue helping Annie recover.
She was not responding to fluids. The team tried to administer fluids to her, but she was not improving. They decided to transport her to an emergency center so she could receive a blood transfusion.
Within those first few hours of meeting her, Annie’s tribe had already fallen in love with her and could not wait for her to return. They wanted to continue helping Annie recover.
Poor Annie had to spend the majority of her time in an oxygen chamber after her lungs were severely damaged by anemia.
She had her shelter workers by her side all the time. When she wasn’t in her oxygen chamber, the crew would sit with her outside in the sun.
According to Lochmann, “We wanted her to enjoy some fresh air. And she really loved spending time with us out there.”
Annie began to gain strength slowly. When her lungs became strong enough, she was able to breathe normally without an oxygen chamber.
“That’s when she finally started acting like a dog,” Lochmann said. “She started making friends with other dogs and absolutely loved playing with them.”
Annie and her friends may be seen running around here:
Annie was placed in foster care shortly after she was transferred from the facility. While she hasn’t been adopted yet, Lochmann is thrilled to report that Annie is doing well.
Even though Annie’s journey to rescue is not complete, everyone at Stray Rescue of St. Louis is proud of how far she came despite all the challenges.
“We’re really grateful that that family saw her [in their yard] because she turned out to be a really great dog,” Lochmann added. “We just adore her! ”
SOURCE: THE DODO
