Our four-legged friends respond to trauma instinctively. Once abused and mistreated, it takes a lot of time to earn their trust back, no matter how hard we try.
If any group of people knows this all too well, it’s animal rescuers who work night and day to bring animals to safety, often meeting obstacles along the way.
Recently, a dog named Billy shocked everyone when he hid in a tiny crawlspace under a Mississippi home. After being shot several times, Billy was absolutely terrified of people, and his rescue turned into a real-life nightmare.
Heartbreaking Condition
When Say Smith, the rescuer from Mississippi, received a call about a tiny dog being a victim of a gunshot, she immediately rushed into action.
Billy had several wounds in his legs, and he instinctively limped to the nearest home, hiding in a crawlspace.
“I don’t know for sure if he actually has 3 bullet holes in him but I do know for sure 2 of his legs are hurt. I’m about to head back out with a trap to try to get him out from under the house,” Say wrote in a Facebook post.
It didn’t take long for Say and her friends to locate Billy. However, as he squeezed deep in the crawlspace, it was almost impossible to get him out.
The rescuers spent the entire night trying to coax him out with delicious treats and kind words. As a result, all they accomplished was feeding Billy, who was still completely unmotivated to get out.
Say and the team didn’t give up, though. They left the site for a few hours and then returned early in the morning. They spent the whole day trying to lure Billy into the trap, and at around 5 PM, he was finally safe.
“I’m about to cry tears of joy! He put me through 10 hours of hell but he’s safe now! We’re headed straight to the vet,” Say reported in an update post.
Say and the group of her helpers didn’t want to waste time. Knowing how hard it must have been on Billy to spend two days with no food and water, they immediately transferred him to an animal hospital.
Sadly, aside from the bullets in his body, this tiny pup was diagnosed with a broken leg and anemia. His condition required round-the-clock treatment with a dedicated caregiver, and Say just knew the right place to bring him!
A Second Chance In A Foster Home
Thanks to his rescuer, Billy was safely transported to PAWS New England for further treatment. He was placed in a nice home with a medical foster, Denise Belt, who welcomed him with open arms.
Still, it took Billy a lot of time to get comfortable around his new foster momma. For the first few days, he hid in corners, refusing to interact with her at all.
Although his physical condition was getting better, Billy’s trauma took a toll on him, but Denise didn’t want to give up!
She spent days respecting Billy’s space, patiently coaxing him with gentle pets and food.
Soon enough, Billy responded – in the most beautiful way!
One day, Denise was in the kitchen, and this sweet boy decided to follow her and keep her company.
“I’m getting a few tail wags now and this morning, he actually ventured into the kitchen a few steps to see what I was doing,” Denise told PAWS England, according to the post.
After days of not trusting anyone, Billy finally came out of his shell, and he was ready to feel loved for the first time!
When the time is right, there’s no doubt that Billy will be ready to search for his forever home. For now, he’s happy to explore his new life with Denise and learn all about being a dog again.