An old, worn tire left on a deserted dead-end road beneath a freeway overpass in Muscoy, California, had unexpectedly become a shelter for a small group of dogs.
Trying to escape the blazing sun, three tiny pups curled up close together inside the tire. In such an isolated spot, during the heat of the day, their chances of survival seemed bleak.
Fortunately, things began to turn around when a passerby spotted them and decided to take action.
Rescue On The Horizon
A man who had mistakenly taken a wrong turn came across a scruffy white Terrier resting on top of a pile of trash. Recognizing the danger of the hot weather, he immediately understood that the dogs needed help. He reached out to Faith Easdale, a local Muscoy dog rescuer from Dream Fetchers: Project Rescue.
Faith was not caught off guard by the call.
“We do this all the time. We see dogs dumped in underpasses, fields, canyons, freeways, you name it — and that area is one of the worst. Hardly anyone would go there or even see these dogs, and even if they had seen them, they would have kept on going. They just don’t care. It’s an everyday occurrence,” Faith told The Dodo.
Faith quickly got in touch with her fellow rescuer, Cassandra Aldridge, and asked her to head over. When Cassandra arrived, she immediately spotted the Terrier. But as she approached the tire, two more little faces peered out at her.
The dogs were weak and dehydrated, unable to move much from where they lay. Understanding she needed to get them out of the sun, Cassandra lifted the entire tire and placed it carefully in the back seat of her car.
She didn’t know how long they had been stranded in the heat, but what she did know was how much they welcomed the cool air once she turned on the air conditioning.
When Faith met them at the scene, the pups tried hiding in the back seat. With patience, she coaxed them out, gently wrapping them in blankets and offering them cold water, which they eagerly drank.
“I stroked their heads and let them know that they were OK, and then I put [them] one by one in a crate. They just were so lethargic that they didn’t even want to run. But they were all so happy to be in that crate huddled together,” she said.
Seeing the white pup place her paws over the black one, who seemed to have recently had puppies, melted Faith’s heart.
At The Clinic
The three were rushed to a nearby veterinary clinic where they received full medical checkups and fluids.
Since the staff needed names for their paperwork, the rescuers decided to name them after tire brands: Michelin, Pirelli, and Kumho.
Although they were crawling with fleas and ticks and had bald spots from scratching, the little group was just relieved to be safe.
I’m sure they felt even better once they were spayed, neutered, groomed, and given dental care.
“Pirelli and Kumho were both lactating, meaning they were still producing milk for puppies that were hopefully old enough to be weaned; Michelin was shut down and protective and is opening up as the days go by. The girls are so loving and seem to feel like royalty with their new ’dos. Michelin is still too proud to wiggle his tail but we can see the light coming back to his eyes,” Hedy Alison, office manager of Camino Pet Hospital, wrote in a hospital report.
After receiving vaccines and microchips, the trio moved into foster homes where they continued to heal and slowly remembered what joy felt like.
A New Chapter
Once they were healthy and fully recovered, the dogs each found a permanent home.
Michelin was the first to be adopted, which was especially good news for Faith since she had worried about him the most.
“This tire baby was the one I was worried might not even survive the transport to the hospital. He seemed the most broken! He wouldn’t take the water offered and I knew we had to HURRY to get him help! Thankfully he recovered and was given that second chance! Just look how amazing he looks now. And he has a brand-new mama who will give him tons of attention,” wrote Faith in a Facebook post.
Pirelli and Kumho were adopted together, moving into a large home with a woman who treasures them dearly.
After all they went through, this small pack is now thriving. Hopefully, they will never face hardship again, only a future filled with affection, safety, and plenty of playtime.