Syracuse Police Animal Cruelty Officers were called to a residence on Delaware Street in Syracuse, New York, following a report of a dog trapped in a basement.
What seemed like a standard call soon revealed one of the most disturbing cases of neglect the officers had ever encountered.
Inside the building, they discovered a German Shepherd tied up in the basement, abandoned by her owner.
The dog, later named Hope, was severely malnourished, too weak to move, and lying helpless on the dirt floor, clinging to life.
Fighting For Hope
Hope, just two years old, was scared, lonely, and starving. She cried out for help, barking endlessly, but no one came to her aid.
According to the Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse, when a maintenance worker asked the owner where her dog was, she casually replied, “Gee, I don’t know – she hasn’t barked for a while.”
It’s impossible to comprehend how anyone could abandon their pet like this, hearing their desperate cries and doing nothing. The cruelty is beyond words.
Jacqui Foss, President of the Board at Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse, recalled:
“She was actually said to be probably within a couple of hours of passing away, so the police were able to get to her just in time and get her directly to the Veterinary Medical Center.”
At the Veterinary Medical Center of CNY, doctors assessed her condition. Her body score was 0.5 out of 9, one of the lowest possible readings.
A Critical Battle For Life
Hope’s state was so dire that veterinarians questioned whether she could survive. Euthanasia was even discussed as a merciful option.
She was blind from malnutrition and weighed just 40 pounds, half the healthy weight for her breed. Shortly after arriving at the clinic, she suffered cardiac arrest, but the medical staff managed to revive her.
Despite everything, there was still a spark in her. The team recognized her will to live and committed to fighting for her.
Tests later revealed that Hope had eaten gravel and dirt from the basement floor to stave off starvation. With nothing else available, it was the only way she could survive those endless days alone.
After several terrifying days, Hope began to show small but significant improvements. Her weight crept up from 43 to 45 pounds, and then to 48. Each milestone gave her rescuers renewed strength to continue.
A Long Road To Recovery
Although her progress was slow, every step forward mattered.
Maureen Davidson of HumaneCNY told CNYCENTRAL that Hope still faced challenges, but she was finally safe and on the mend:
“She went right to an amazing foster home after she was released. The re-feeding schedule is pretty intense, so she has to be fed very slowly over the course of the day. She is just starting to work up to more food for weight gain.”
The community rallied around her. The “Healing Hearts for Hope” fundraiser, organized by the Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse, raised more than $15,000 to cover her veterinary costs.
“As the old saying goes, and it couldn’t be more true, IT TAKES A VILLAGE, and this is such an amazing ‘village’ to be a part of,” the Animal Alliance wrote on Facebook.
In a Facebook release, the Syracuse Police Department confirmed that following an extended investigation, Hope’s former owner, Hortence Ngarissona, was arrested. She was charged with two counts of animal cruelty and released on an appearance ticket.
Though the legal outcome may not erase the suffering Hope endured, her story serves as both a warning and a call to action.
Maureen Davidson emphasized a crucial reminder:
“If you see something, say something. If you know of an animal that is suffering, that is not fed, outside all day, looking very skinny or sick, just say something, call somebody.”
Hope’s survival is proof of her incredible strength, but also of what can be accomplished when compassionate people refuse to look away. Thanks to her rescuers, medical team, and community, she now has a chance at the future she deserves.