Found unwanted at a Savannah home, a clean and a trim gives a dog a new 'leash' on life
The sad, little dog that nobody wanted may become the happy pup everybody wants, thanks to a community of caring folks who are coming to her rescue.
The first Good Samaritan was Christy Graham of Christy’s Critters Pet Sitting who was visiting a client when she spotted the dog.
“I was walking back to the car when I saw the little dog that was unrecognizable” because of tons of matted fur, dread locks and goopy eyes, she said. She was horrified and knew something needed to be done about the poor animal’s condition.
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The dog was in the front yard of a house so Christy boldly walked up to the porch and knocked on the door. A man answered and Christy asked if the dog belonged to him. The man said yes but also that he and the others who lived there didn’t want her.
Christy asked if the man would be willing to surrender the dog and put her up for adoption. The man agreed saying the dog “was mean.” Christy took pictures of the dog and immediately posted the pathetic photos on Facebook with this message: “I need help … I am asking anyone that can possibly help foster her so she can get the care she needs. I am devastated.”
Within seconds people started chiming in, including Chelsea Phillips who told Christy she was on her way.
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As soon as Chelsea saw the pictures she knew she had to help. “I didn’t have a plan,” she said. “I just thought, ‘this baby needs help.’”
After the dog was safe in a kennel in her husband’s truck, Chelsea turned to Facebook posting this: “I would be forever grateful if anyone knows a groomer who could help this baby on the holiday weekend. She is covered in fleas and dreads … this baby deserves so much better.”
Next it was Dan Bates of Dapper Dan’s Dog Grooming who stepped up to the plate. A friend advised him of the situation, and he felt like he needed to be the pooch’s “guardian angel,” even though it was the beginning of the long Memorial Day weekend.
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Chelsea delivered the dog to Dan’s shop where Dan spent roughly three hours removing the tangled clumps of fur. “She was trembling a little bit (during the process) but she was as sweet as she could be,” he said. “She knew she was being helped.”
At first, Dan thought she “was a pretty old girl with no life in her eyes,” but as more fur was removed, the glow in her eyes returned, he said. The matting was so bad around one of her rear legs, it was cutting off the circulation, Dan said.
After a much-needed haircut and flea bath, the little pup was turned over to the Animal Hospital at Rice Hope, who offered to give her the medical care she needed.
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The first of June brought renewed hope for the little dog. She was scheduled for spaying and will be up for adoption at Coastal Pet Rescue. After more than 300 views and hundreds of Facebook comments, the dog has been saved.
For more on the little dog’s progress, follow Coastal Pet Rescue on Facebook.
Polly Powers Stramm is a contributing lifestyles columnist. Contact Polly at 912-657-3877 or pollparrot@aol.com. See more columns by her at SavannahNow.com/lifestyle/.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah GA woman saves dog, community comes together to help
