One day in Texas, a fragile little puppy crawled under Abigail’s car, crying out in desperation for someone to notice her.
Her tiny body was so thin and frail that she looked skeletal, a heartbreaking sign of just how weak and malnourished she was.
Kind rescuers stepped in, offering her food and water while giving her space, since she trembled in fear at every movement.
After a while, the frightened pup gathered the courage to leave her hiding spot.
Ellie’s Rescue
Once the puppy, later named Ellie, came out from beneath the car, Abigail managed to slip a leash gently around her.
Terrified and shutting down, “She just kind of went into turtle mode,” Abigail told The Dodo.
The priority was clear. Ellie needed immediate medical care. Given her condition, rescuers feared she might have contracted parvo, a dangerous and often fatal virus.
Fortunately, the test results brought relief.
“Our vet told us that she had been eating so much garbage, her stomach was really suffering. But in a few weeks she should be good as new,” Abigail said.
Ellie had clearly survived by scavenging whatever she could find, but now she was safe with someone determined to help her recover.
At just six months old, Ellie was still very much a baby. Beneath her dry, scaly skin and patchy fur, she turned out to be a Golden Retriever mix.
In her first days at Abigail’s home, Ellie remained withdrawn and fearful.
“She was completely unresponsive for the first couple of days. But she learned that we weren’t going to hurt her. It was really just a matter of trying to get her to come out of her shell,” Abigail said.
Slowly, little by little, Ellie began to adjust to her new life.
Discovering Joy
After a few days, Ellie finally had enough energy to venture outside.
“The tennis ball, she saw it and she was immediately just hooked. She wanted to play, she has that in her. From that point onwards, she was just so much better,” Abigail recalled.
Seeing Ellie chase a ball and play like a normal puppy was a joyful milestone.
Her personality began to shine through. She turned into a spunky, goofy pup, and her coat started improving each day with proper care.
“We really made sure that she allowed herself to feel comfortable.”
From that moment forward, Ellie blossomed into a completely different dog. She grew into a radiant Golden girl with a full, shiny coat and a big personality to match.
She discovered her love for car rides, often sticking her head and paws out the window to enjoy the breeze.
Her first trip to the beach marked a turning point in her journey.
“She started digging and she got an insane case of the zoomies and she was running around the beach, staring out into the ocean. She loved it. It was such a monumental moment for her.”
From a weak and abandoned puppy hiding under a car to a lively, playful young dog, Ellie’s transformation was nothing short of incredible.
She is proof of resilience and the power of love.