Not all abandoned dogs have the privilege of being saved by rescue organizations. Sometimes shelters are simply overcrowded, rescuers lack the authority to intervene, or they are unable to reach the dog.
During such times, the act of individuals becomes crucial — and often lifesaving.
When Chance, a scared, traumatized pup from Texas, was abandoned by his previous family and left in the heat to fend for himself, his chances of survival were slim. But then, a woman stepped in and did her best to give Chance one more shot at happiness.
Hiding Under A Trailer
One day Stephanie Garcia looked out of her kitchen window and spotted a dog in her neighbor’s yard. While this wouldn’t be an unusual sight a few days prior, this time, Stephanie knew for a fact that her neighbors had moved out.
Then she realized: Chance, the dog, was left behind.
“My neighbors left and took five of their dogs with them and left Chance behind. I noticed and took action by immediately taking food and water,” Stephanie shared on TikTok.
After supplying the dog with food and water in scorching Texas heat, Stephanie contacted a local SPCA. Unfortunately, the organization was denied a warrant and couldn’t take the case.
The remaining rescuers nearby also refused to assist, saying they were already full and overcrowded.
“The SPCA abandoned the abandonment case I reported because a judge wouldn’t grant a warrant to go on the property. And rescues were too full,” added Stephanie.
This left Stephanie with only one option: to help Chance on her own. She and her husband spent a few days leaving food and water for the dog, waiting for someone to finally grant them access to the property.
Then one day a person showed up with the key to the house, and let them rescue Chance.
The couple took things slowly. Chance was extremely traumatized and scared of absolutely everything. His safe space was under a trailer most of the time, which made the entire rescue more complex.
However, after only a few days of kindness, Chance finally gave in.
He came out and let Stephanie pet him, and even followed her to her garage. From that moment on it was clear that Chance trusted his new hoomans enough to be saved.
He spent the first few days adjusting to a new environment and meeting Stephanie’s four dogs.
One day, he even welcomed another stray into Stephanie’s yard, a German Shepherd Nova. The two dogs became inseparable in no time, making it hard for the family to separate them.
Just like that, both Chance and Nova joined the Garcia family.
The Forever Home He Needed
All Chance needed was love. After being neglected for so long, he finally found a place to call his own.
Thanks to his new hoomans, Chance started his recovery journey in no time. He was diagnosed with heartworms and his treatment began immediately.
He felt comfortable around his new mom and dad, as well as his siblings. His fear was finally fading away, and Chance was able to show his true colors. Underneath all the trauma was an affectionate, friendly pup who just wanted to be loved.
“Chance is an amazing dog and is not aggressive in any way, shape or form. Just scared of quite literally everything. He’s safe and loved forever now with us,” Stephanie wrote.
Chance, Nova, and the rest of their doggo siblings truly enjoyed each other’s presence, and Stephanie couldn’t be more grateful.
“Saving Chance and Nova has been such a blessing in disguise. I’m glad I was able to make a difference for two more dogs,” Stephanie shared in another TikTok.
From now on, Chance won’t need to worry about surviving. Today, his days are all about fun, games, cuddles, and love, as he always deserved!