Stray Rescue of St. Louis received an emergency call regarding a dog who was sleeping in a residential street during the heatwave. They asked that the caller send photos of the dog to enable them to better evaluate how they can help.
“The photo this person sent us shows the dog lying down,” Donna Lochmann, chief lifeguard officer for the Stray Rescue of St. Louis, told The Dodo. “It’s hard to tell, but it looks like you can see his hipbones. So I know it’s definitely worth a shot.”
Lochmann rushed to the scene but couldn’t find the puppy. She decides to turn into an alley at the last minute – that’s when she finds him.
“I saw him lying on the street,” Lockman said. “He was lying in the water coming out of the gutters, probably to stay cool because it was so hot.”
Lockman saw the urgency of Lockman’s rescue and quickly realized that Lockman was not alone.
“He must have heard me when I parked at the end of the alley,” Lockman said. “I watched him raise his head, look around, and then put his head back on the side of the road like he gave up completely.”
The image of the dog lying alone in the street, with no energy or hope for the future, broke Lochman’s heart.
“It literally killed me,” Lockman said. “I said to myself, ‘I can’t keep this dog here.’”
Rockman was able to rescue the dog from his oppression. Rockman was able to walk the dog up to her jeep without a leash.
“I started talking to him and I said, ‘Come on, man…we’ll help you.’”
The puppy was gone as soon he got in his car.
“I put a blanket in the back of the Jeep, so he lay down right away,” Lockman said. “He seemed very grateful for the air conditioning and the comfortable place.”
The adorable dog, who they later named Curby, thoroughly enjoyed what the sanctuary called the “free ride” safety.
“He went to foster care very quickly,” Lockman said. “A couple saw a video of him and the wife said to the husband, ‘That dog shouldn’t be in the shelter.’ So they came to pick him up.”
Curby is very fond of his foster home. He has two loving parents and a sister dog he enjoys cuddling. He’s finally starting to gain weight and his personality is really starting to blossom in his new home.
“His adoptive parents absolutely fell in love with him,” Lockman said. “He turned out to be the cutest boy ever.”
Donate to the Stray Rescue of St. Louis to help Curby and other puppies get the care they require.
