It’s not uncommon to encounter stray dogs who, battered by life’s hardships, lose their sense of direction and self-preservation.
Hunger and fear often drive them to act in ways that put them in extreme danger. This is the story of a stray dog who was severely neglected and found herself perilously close to a busy highway in Southern California.
A Raggedy Furball
A few months ago, a woman driving on a highway noticed something unusual in the tall grass beside the road. It took a moment for her to realize it was a stray dog attempting to move onto the highway. Concerned for the dog’s safety, she stopped her vehicle and tried to approach, but the frightened dog bolted in the opposite direction.
Unable to safely stop on the busy road for long, the woman left but not before contacting Suzette Hall of Logan’s Legacy, a dedicated animal rescuer. Hall arrived at the scene promptly and began searching for the elusive dog. Initially, the dog was nowhere to be found. Hall waited patiently, and eventually, the stray made a cautious appearance.
“She would come out by the freeway and just sniff the ground like she was looking for food,” Hall told The Dodo. “But there wasn’t any food, so she would go back into the junkyard and hide somewhere.”
Determined to help, Hall set up humane traps with food to entice the hungry dog. With the traps in place, all that was left to do was wait.
Raggedy Annie’s New Life
It didn’t take long for the starving dog to take the bait. The dog, now affectionately named Raggedy Annie, was safely captured. “I couldn’t tell if it was her at first,” Hall recalled. “But after a minute, I looked up, and I could see this little furball inside the trap.”
With Raggedy Annie secure, Hall transported her to a veterinarian for a thorough examination. The first order of business was to shave off her heavily matted fur. Though initially fearful, Annie relaxed once the matted fur was removed, revealing a sweet and gentle disposition beneath.
“She wasn’t touchable at all at first,” Hall said. “But when she knew she was safe and once she got all those mats off, she just came out of her shell. She was ready to begin her new life.”
A few days later, veterinarians deemed Annie healthy enough for foster care. Despite scanning for a microchip, none was found, suggesting she had been on her own for some time. Hall speculated that Annie might have once had owners due to her kind nature, but unfortunately, no one came forward.
Annie was placed in a loving foster home where she is currently awaiting adoption. While it’s not yet known if she has found her forever home, one thing is certain: Raggedy Annie has a lot of love to give and is ready to bring joy to a family willing to give her a chance.
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