Stray dogs live in constant fear as they try to avoid the danger that lurks in every street corner. They feel lucky if they find even morsels of food that tricks their stomachs, even for a little while.
The only thing that keeps them going is a glimmer of hope that someone kind might notice and help.
One dog who had been wandering a California neighborhood for days was fighting to stay alive.
He slipped through yards and patches of greenbelt, trying to stay invisible. He wanted comfort but didn’t know where to find it. He was frightened of everything. Every rustle or footstep sent him running again. He didn’t know whom he could trust.
Fortunately, fate had a wonderful surprise for him.
The Struggle Of Survival
The dog had been moving from yard to yard, never stopping long enough to be caught. Neighbors tried to approach him, yet he always escaped.
“At one point, he even found refuge in the back of someone’s truck, just trying to feel safe for a moment,” Suzette Hall shared on Facebook.
That small moment of calm was too short. Before long, the pup was back on the run, carrying the same fear in his heart.
A Life-Changing Moment
Since most of the yards were open, no one could keep him contained long enough to help. He could bolt through one side while people tried to help from the other.
However, one day, there was a breakthrough.
A neighbor, whose yard actually had a gate, lured the dog inside. Although he hesitated, he soon followed. He was exhausted from running.
Shortly afterward, Hall arrived.
“I quietly set my trap… and it didn’t even take three minutes,” she recalled.
The sound of the gate clicking shut marked a new beginning for the stray pup.
He sensed that he could trust Hall, and he let her take care of him.
A Second Chance At Life
Hall was relieved. She had feared for the dog’s safety because coyotes were roaming the area. She knew that he wouldn’t have lasted much longer alone.
“We don’t know his past story, but we do know this: his new story begins now,” Hall wrote.
The pup finally felt safe.
“He is rescued. He is safe. And he will never again have to dodge coyotes or face cold, lonely nights in yards and along that greenbelt,” she added.
Thanks to the kind people, the dog’s lonely days are behind him.
He was grateful to get a chance to start over, not as a stray, but as a dog who will finally know love and warmth.