11/07/2024
On Monday night, after another long day of animal rescue, I came across a post on Facebook from our local animal control team. They had been trying to capture a terrified stray dog for over two weeks with no success. My heart sank. This sweet girl had been roaming near the local pound, a place she’d likely been abandoned, waiting loyally and in fear for her people to come back. Sadly, no one was looking for her. I knew right away that I had to step in.
I reached out to my small but mighty team and asked if they were ready to help bring her to safety. They immediately agreed, knowing the challenge but also the importance of getting her out of danger.
On Tuesday morning, Angel and I met up with two animal control officers to get a better idea of where she was staying, and, sure enough, we spotted her. She looked at us, and in a flash of fear, she ran and hid.
We stayed close, quietly watching her patterns, studying her every move. This scared pup had found refuge near a local business, whose generous owner gave us permission to use his yard, buildings, and property however we needed to set up a safe capture spot.
We placed fresh food, water, and a cozy bed in an enclosed area, hoping she’d trust it as her little safe zone.
By Wednesday morning, just after 6:20 a.m., we refreshed the food, settled in, and waited. She was wary, watching us from a distance, inching closer but running the moment anyone approached. She’d even tease us by getting close to the setup before fleeing in fear. Hours went by until finally, she gathered her courage, approached, and entered the trap. I’ll never forget the look in her eyes as she realized she was safe—those eyes told us she was scared, yet somehow grateful.
We gently loaded her up and brought her to the shelter, and the moment we opened the trap, she crawled right over to Precious, one of my wonderful helpers from the day, and just melted in her arms. It was as if she knew she was safe and that we’d spent these last 48 hours tirelessly working to save her. She went around to each of us, giving her “thank you” in the best way she knew how.
Later, I caught a heartwarming moment of our youngest boss, Kinzlee, and her friend Kylie sitting with her on the floor, showering her with love and comfort. She let out a soft cry—her way of telling us she was finally at peace, no longer alone, and grateful to be safe.
This experience is a reminder of what rescue is all about—community, teamwork, and the power of people coming together for a cause.
We couldn’t have done it without our amazing community:
• Our Community Resource Officers who trusted us to step in and take on the rescue
• Tavish Vestal for giving us full access to his property, ensuring she had a safe place on his property
• Lisa for the fresh home-cooked food she wouldn’t touch any of the other dog food
• And our incredible team members Angel and Precious, who stayed with me every step of the way
We may be a small team, but we are mighty. This girl is safe today because of the love, dedication, and support from each one of us.
Every life matters, and when we work together, another deserving soul finds safety. Thank you for standing by us in this mission to save lives, one rescue at a time.
*Pictures of our day in the comments*