It was a typical day for Veronica Shea, who set out on her usual hike through the Angeles National Forest in California with her dog.
As she followed the trail, something unusual caught her attention. She saw what looked like a “huge black thing” moving up the side of a rocky cliff.
Curious, Veronica stopped to take a closer look. To her surprise, the dark shape wasn’t what she expected. It was a dog, struggling to climb.
Without hesitation, she decided to follow, unaware that her decision would change several lives.
A Hidden Pack In The Wilderness
The lone dog led Veronica straight to two others. All three were thin, frightened, and clearly alone in the mountains.
It was obvious that they had been abandoned. Their ribs were visible, and they looked exhausted and weak.
“You could see how malnourished they were. You could really see their ribs. You could count their vertebrae,” Veronica said.
Determined to help, she began hiking up the mountain regularly to bring them food and water. Over time, the dogs grew less afraid and started to trust her.
Eventually, they felt safe enough to eat directly from her hand. It was an incredible moment of progress, but Veronica knew her work was far from finished.
She still had to figure out how to get the dogs safely off the mountain. Trapping one could scare the others away, so she realized she would need more help.
A Plan For Rescue
When Veronica reached out to others for support, an entire team of rescuers offered their assistance.
“We came up with a plan. We have to build a crazy contraption that can be close by remote,” she explained.
Together, they carried materials up the mountain and built a large, secure cage that could fit all three dogs at once.
After hours of patience and coordination, the team successfully guided the dogs inside and carried them down to safety.
The rescued Mastiffs, later named Princess George, Grace, and Steve, were finally safe after surviving on their own for so long.
Learning To Trust Again
Once the dogs were rescued, the team contacted Cheri Wulff Lucas, a well-known California trainer and behaviorist, to help them adjust to life around people.
“They weren’t adoptable the way they came. They couldn’t be touched. They couldn’t be leashed. They were just terrified,” Cheri explained.
Although they made progress, the dogs still startled easily and needed a very quiet and patient environment to recover.
“It was going to take a very special home for them to go into because they’re not the kind of dogs that are going to go to the dog park. Even walking them on city streets would be a lot for them. And if they do spook, they weigh 125 pounds, so [they would be] very hard to contain.”
Since Cheri lived in a secluded area with no traffic or neighbors, she knew they would be safe with her. At first, she didn’t plan to keep them, but that soon changed.
Under her care, the three dogs began to thrive. Before long, they became part of her family and an important part of her training work.
From Survivors To Helpers
The once-terrified Mastiffs soon found purpose helping other dogs overcome fear.
“If I get dogs that need socialization, to be more familiar and less reactive with other dogs, I use my pack to help rehabilitate them. And all three of them are highly social with dogs. They know how to smell properly, how to not overpower the dog that needs the socialization. They’re just flawless. And that’s not something I taught them. They came that way.”
The pack later helped a dog named Andi, who had spent seven years in isolation with no human contact.
“It was really sweet to see. They brought her around in a way that I never could as a human,” Cheri said.
Cheri eventually adopted Andi, making her the twelfth member of her canine family.
Today, Princess George, Grace, and Steve are happy, confident, and full of life.
“If you came to my house and did not know their backstory, you would think they were like any other dog. They’re pets. They’re really pets now. They’re not cases for me anymore.”