Thanks to compassionate individuals who act quickly and selflessly, thousands of animals in distress are being rescued.
This time, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston showcased their humane instincts. While carrying out a standard inspection at the Port of Houston, Texas, the team noticed an unusual sound coming from one of the shipping containers.
They moved swiftly to investigate the noise and ended up making one of the most surprising discoveries yet.
A Startling Find During Routine Checks
Officer Ryan McMahon and his team heard what sounded like barking and scratching coming from a container stacked roughly 25 feet high.
It was pure luck that the team was present at the right time and place, given that the terminal housed over 10,000 containers. Once they used a crane to lower the container to ground level, something entirely unexpected emerged.
A small, frightened dog appeared from inside the container.
“Earlier today, a team of marine inspectors from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston saved a life in a way that was unexpected,” U.S. Coast Guard Heartland wrote in a Facebook post.
“They heard barking and scratching coming from one of the containers in a stack. When they lowered the container and opened the door, a dog popped out,” the team wrote.
Despite the dark surroundings, the pup was visibly overjoyed and ran straight toward her rescuers, showering them with affection as though she knew they’d just saved her.
Officials believe the dog had been stuck inside the container, filled with scrapped vehicles, for more than a week without any food or water. While it’s still uncertain how she ended up there, the Coast Guard suspects she may have entered one of the cars.
It was nothing short of miraculous that she was found in time, as she might not have survived another few days.
Meet Connie, The Dog From The Container
Later named Connie the Container Dog, she was first brought to a local animal shelter, then transferred to Forever Changed Animal Rescue.
Though she had seemed relieved at first, Connie was severely malnourished, weighing only 30 pounds. Upon arrival, she underwent several medical tests. Sadly, the results revealed she was heartworm positive.
“Connie is a bit under weight and currently weighs 30lbs. She is incredibly sweet but very shy and scared of her new surroundings as to be expected. She is heartworm positive and we will be getting her started on treatment ASAP. FCAR wrote on Facebook.
The rescue team is committed to helping Connie recover and return to full health.
Thanks to the combined efforts of caring individuals, Connie now has a renewed chance at a happy life. When she’s ready, there’s no doubt she’ll find a loving home to call her own.