On a stormy night in San Antonio, Animal Care Officer Perry answered a call about a Pit Bull barking at a front door.
The caller believed the dog was acting aggressively, so Perry headed out quickly into the cold.
Wind cut through her jacket as she searched the neighborhood. She braced for a large, intimidating dog, yet what she found instead was a tiny pup curled on a discarded car seat set out with the trash.
Shivering and scared, the little dog was clearly doing her best to stay warm. The sight moved Perry deeply, and she knew she had to get the pup to safety.
Rescued From The Storm
From the first moment Perry saw the dog, later named Martha, she could tell the pup had been on her own for a long time. Ribs showed beneath her small frame.
As Perry stepped closer, Martha turned her head away, unsure if she could trust a stranger. She needed help, yet hesitation kept her guarded.
Speaking softly, Perry offered reassurance. Martha seemed to hear the kindness in her voice and allowed Perry to wrap her in a blanket and guide her to the car.
Once she climbed in, everything shifted. Her tail began to wag, almost as if she were saying thank you.
“It was amazing how quickly she came around. It was like she knew I was there to help her,” Perry told The Dodo.
At City of San Antonio Animal Care Services, Martha tucked into a hearty meal.
A medical checkup showed she was underweight, positive for heartworms, and had previously given birth.
A Softer World Begins
Perry settled Martha into a cozy kennel filled with plush toys. The pup quickly chose a teddy bear as her favorite.
Knowing Martha would flourish in a home, the shelter shared her story on Facebook in hopes of finding a foster.
The Mains family read about her and felt an immediate pull to help. They offered to foster Martha and give her the gentle care she needed to recover.
When they arrived, Martha greeted them with grateful kisses, eager for her second chance.
She soon met her three foster dog siblings, who began showing her the rhythms of home life.
With the Mains family’s patience and the guidance of her new furry friends, Martha started to bloom. She followed her foster parents from room to room and curled up beside them at night.
“Her fosters say she has settled in and sleeps on their bed at night. They are also getting used to having no privacy because Martha follows them everywhere! Her foster mom says, ‘She doesn’t know to “dog” yet, but she’s learning,'” Lisa Norwood, public relations manager for City of San Antonio Animal Care Services, told The Dodo.
Martha is now continuing heartworm treatment and slowly gaining weight. She still loves her toys, especially the teddy bear Perry picked for her.
Very soon, she will be ready to begin the search for a forever home that will cherish her for life.