Traumatic experiences can leave dogs with visible and invisible scars. Every year, hundreds of them are abused and left without the proper love they need to overcome a painful past. As sad as it is to think about, there are a lot of people who are willing to help them recover.
When workers from a Los Angeles-based rescue organization called Hope For Paws found a pit bull cowering in the middle of a construction site, it was clear that he had been through a disturbing experience. Rescuers knew it was going to take a massive effort if they were to gain this dog's trust and get him to safety, but his unusual reaction to their attempts left them quite shocked.
Traumatic experiences, whatever they may be, leave deep psychological scars that sometimes take years to recover from—if they can overcome them at all.
This holds true for both humans and animals, so when volunteers from an animal rescue in LA found an abandoned dog in a dangerous area, they knew it wasn't going to be an easy task to rescue him.
It was an early weekend morning when the Hope For Paws team received a phone call from a concerned resident who spotted a lone pit bull, named Odin, at a construction site.
They had no idea how he had ended up there, but they knew he needed help—and fast. They needed to get to the dog and get him to a safe place where he could receive treatment.
Luckily, some volunteers were nearby, so they hurried to the site with all of the necessary supplies as soon as they were summoned to help the dog in need.
When they arrived, they immediately noticed Odin's situation. Not only was he visibly injured, but he seemed beyond terrified. He needed human intervention, and fast.
They tried coaxing him off of the site with food—a technique that usually works with dogs—but Odin wouldn't budge. They were running out of ideas to lure him to safety. What could they do?
One of the rescuers even approached him slowly with a colorful leash to carefully slip around his neck, hoping he would respond. But as soon as it was on, they realized it was useless.
Odin stubbornly braced himself and pressed his body even closer to the ground! This rescue was going to be trickier than they thought...
The Hope For Paws volunteers tried to figure out how they could rescue Odin without traumatizing him even more. It was clear that he was going to be steer on the side of a more stubborn kind of pit bull.
They had no clue what he had been through, but whatever had happened, it caused him to lose trust in everyone around him. Suddenly, the rescue team had an idea...
One of the members remembered the cage they had put in the back of their van. They hoped that if they brought the cage out to Odin, instead of trying to bring Odin to the cage, they had a chance of getting him to safety.
The crew was a bit disappointed that, when they placed the cage in front of Odin, he still wouldn't move. That's when Eldad Hagar, Hope For Paws' founder, decided to step in and give a little push—literally.
He used all of his strength to shove the dog into the cage. It wasn't easy, and it took a lot of patience, but eventually the task was complete and Odin was finally on the road to recovery!
Once Odin was in the cage, it took three workers to lift him and transport him into the van. Odin was whimpering loudly, unaware of what was happening to him.
It took many minutes of head scratches and talking to him gently to calm Odin down. Once he was in the back of the worker's van, he started to slowly realize that he was being helped, much to the relief of shelter employees.
As soon as Odin arrived back at the Hope For Paws headquarters, he already seemed like a different dog. He was no longer trembling, and was actually eager to greet everyone who was a part of his rescue mission!
Odin was treated by the shelter's veterinarian, and luckily he had a pretty clean bill of health. He clearly had some psychological wounds, but with the right amount of love and nurturing, Odin would back on track in no time!
Odin has since been adopted by a fantastic family who treats him with the respect and kindness he always deserved. This is one pup who might have put up a struggle, but it all worked out in the end!
Owning and caring for a dog is obviously a tremendous responsibility, and it's one that not everyone is prepared for. As a result, many people who find themselves unable to care for their pets end up dropping them at a shelter. Sadly, some can't even manage that.
It's a sad reality, but not everyone is capable of taking care of their pets—and sometimes the situation requires outside help. Two Miami residents named Alex and Stephanie realized this firsthand when they were told about a dog chained to a tree behind an empty house...
Sure enough, the dog was all alone—and he didn't look to be in good shape. Alex and Stephanie knew they had to take action or this poor pooch wouldn't make it much longer. With food and a leash in hand, they carefully approached the emaciated animal.
The dog, whom they named Ganesh, was understandably nervous, and he barked at them as they approached. It was no wonder! After being mistreated by humans the way Ganesh had been, it was only natural he'd be a little suspicious of strangers.
Ganesh had clearly been left alone and tied up in the back yard for quite some time. He was thin and filthy—and that was just what was visible. Who knew what sorts of illnesses he might've had? It was likely that his emotional scars went a lot deeper, too.
After eyeing Alex and Stephanie warily, Ganesh's hunger took over, and he eagerly wolfed down the food and water they brought him. Thankfully, he seemed to warm up to them once he realized that they weren't going to hurt him.
As it turned out, all Ganesh needed was a little bit of love—and little bit of grub! He'd stopped barking and he even allowed Alex and Stephanie to pet him. He was still very nervous, but it was clear he was in much better hands than before. Who would do this to such a sweet dog?
Before long, Ganesh was wagging his tail and was happily following along as he was led by leash to Alex and Stephanie's home. Who knew how long it had been since he was able to leave his yard? It was like he could sense that things were looking up...
Ganesh relaxed even more once Alex and Stephanie gave him a much-needed bath. He had a lot of bugs on him from being chained outdoors for so long, but with a little soap and a lot of scrubbing, he was finally clean!
Once he was all clean it was time for Ganesh to come inside Alex and Stephanie's home to dry off and explore the warm house. It seemed that he couldn't believe his good luck! First food, then a walk, then a bath, and now this?
Like any good dog, Ganesh eagerly offered up kisses to express his gratitude. It was clear that this pooch felt exceptionally grateful for having met Alex and Stephanie and being allowed to stay with them.
Even though Ganesh had been through a tremendous amount of pain and suffering, he wasn't going to let it put a damper on his spirits in the least. Before long, he was eagerly playing. But one question loomed: what did his future hold?
Talk about a dog with a truly loving heart and resilient spirit! Ganesh wasn't going to let anything keep him from living his best life, no matter what things were like before he was rescued—or how things would be in the future...
Alex and Stephanie knew that it still wasn't going to be an easy road, but they were committed to helping Ganesh. They were completely invested in his well-being. Still, the price tag for doing so was starting to add up...
The pair went online to share their story about Ganesh's rescue and they received quite the reaction. People were so immensely moved by the pooch's story that they wanted to help however they could.
Donations came pouring in from people all over, and thanks to their generosity, Alex and Stephanie were able to cover all of Ganesh's expenses! It looked like Ganesh would get the happy ending he deserved...
Soon enough, Ganesh was being treated by a veterinarian and he was well on his way to recovery. With his every need being met, all that was left for him to do was sit back and enjoy all that attention!
Alex and Stephanie, along with all of their friends who helped support Ganesh's recovery, couldn't have been happier with how much his life had turned around. He was still very skinny, but he acted like a totally different dog altogether!
Making the decision to step into that back yard was one of the best Alex and Stephanie made, and Ganesh's loving face was proof of that. There wasn't a person he met who he didn't adore!
Now all Ganesh needed was to find himself a forever home! Once he was fully recovered, he'd be able to live a happy and healthy life the way he deserved. So many dogs don't get a second chance, and it was all thanks to two caring strangers. And speaking of caring strangers...
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