Maria’s life was anything but easy.
This sweet girl had so much to give, yet her previous owners threw it all away. Instead of embracing her loving nature and sweet spirit, they abandoned her in the most brutal way.
Sadly, Maria was discarded in an alleyway like trash. Her condition was far from good. She could barely walk, was holding her head low, had fleas all over her body, and was near a fatal end.
To her rescuers, it was truly heartbreaking to see her give up.
She Was About To Give Up
Just when everything seemed like a lost cause, a glimmer of hope emerged. Maria was found in an alleyway in Norristown, Pennsylvania, by a police officer named Christopher.
“We found a younger female dog that was so weak and tired that she could barely stand up on her own. She clearly has had a terrible first year of life and was about to give up,” Christopher stated on Facebook.
Just by looking at her, Chris knew that Maria was only moments away from the inevitable. So, he contacted Philly Bully Team, who immediately rushed her to the hospital.
Unfortunately, months of neglect took a toll on this sweet girl. She was only nineteen pounds, lethargic, didn’t have any appetite, and had really low blood pressure.
“This did not happen overnight. Maria got this way from weeks, months of neglect. She’s also covered in fleas,” the Pennsylvania rescue added in the post.
Thanks to her caregivers, Maria’s life was saved, but she had a long recovery road ahead of her.
Day after day, she received regular medication, was monitored 24/7, and visited by the PBT volunteers.
Eventually, she was diagnosed with cat scratch fever, caused by the bacteria called Bartonella. In Maria’s case, this progressing disease required long-term supportive care and antibiotics.
The good news was that she was matched with the perfect foster who agreed to care for her on a long-term basis.
Miraculous Transformation
Maia Hottinger’s home was perfect for Maria. Not only did she get a caring foster, but also a suitable environment filled with love and comfort. And, that’s exactly what she needed!
Only a few weeks later, Maria has already felt better. She started to eat, wag her tail, and meet her foster siblings. In no time, all this lifted her spirits, and Maria was a brand-new dog.
“She loves meeting new people. She’s just so happy all the time. It’s hard to believe that she’s come this far, we’re grateful for her. It’s been really rewarding to watch her transformation,” Maia told GeoBeats Animals.
Maia and her family couldn’t be happier to see Maria’s progress. She was such a sweet companion who loved being surrounded by her new family.
Although she’s not fully recovered yet, it’s safe to say that Maria is finally out of danger. She no longer fights for her life and is definitely eager to meet her new people.
However, she’s not available for adoption yet.
“She’s actually not ready to find a home yet. She has another vet check in two months and we’ll continue fostering her till then and she should be up for adoption after that,” Maia concludes.
While waiting for her full recovery, Maria has one goal and one goal only – to have as much fun and adventures at Maia’s home as possible.
You can keep up with her daily updates at Maia’s Instagram and follow this sweet furry girl’s progress. I can’t wait to see what her future brings!