They say it takes a village to keep a dog, but in Anne McChord’s case, it takes a village to save a dog.
Anne McChord, just three years old, was found in their backyard by a family one summer. They didn’t know how long she was out, but they could see how thin she was, and that time was crucial.
They put the dog in a large Tupperware box and called Stray Rescue St. Louis immediately for assistance.
“When I got there, she was in really bad shape,” Donna Lochmann, chief lifesaving officer for the Stray Rescue of St. Louis, told The Dodo. “I really don’t think she’ll last much longer.”
The family was able call for assistance in time. Lochmann stated that Annie McHound had been emaciated and had more fleas than the experienced rescuers had ever seen.
Lockman carefully loaded the puppy into her car and called the shelter’s veterinary team to give them an advance look at Annie’s condition. That’s when Annie’s loyal village of life-saving helpers began to take shape.
The squad’s first attack plan was to thoroughly clean Annie when she got there.
After the shower, the team quickly realized that Annie couldn’t get up on her own. They wrapped Annie in a blanket to make sure she was as comfortable as possible in the kennels.
They tried giving her fluids, but when she still wasn’t getting stronger, the team decided to send her to the emergency center for a blood transfusion.
Annie’s village has fallen in love with her within the first few hours of meeting her and can’t wait for her return. They are eager to continue to take care of their new partner’s recovery.
Anne returned home to find that Anne was still ill. Anne had to take Anne to an oxygen chamber in order to strengthen her lungs which had been severely damaged by anemia.
She has a dedicated support team of shelter workers who are there to help her every step. When she’s not in the oxygen room, the team will take her outside and sit with her in the sun.
“We wanted to give her some fresh air,” Lockman said. “And she really enjoyed being with us.”
Slowly, Annie started getting stronger and stronger. When her lungs were finally healthy enough to breathe without the help of an oxygen chamber, she was moved out of the clinic and into an area of the shelter where she could be with other animals.
“That’s when she finally started acting like a dog,” Lockman said. “She started making friends with other dogs and absolutely LovePlaying with them. “
Annie and her friends are running around this area.
Soon after she moved out of the clinic, Anne was placed in foster custody. While she’s not yet adopted, Rockman is happy to say she’s thriving.
Annie’s rescue story isn’t over yet, but everyone at Stray Rescue of St. Louis is proud of what she accomplished, despite the odds.
“We are really grateful that the family saw her [in their yard] because she turned out to be a really great dog,” Rockman said. “We just adore her! “
