On a cold, foggy evening, Emily Orr was heading home from her mother’s house in Parkville, Missouri, when something drew her eye.
Passing a neighborhood dog park, she heard unusual, pained sounds that suggested someone or something was in distress.
Worried, she slowed her car and edged closer to the park. She couldn’t bring herself to leave without finding out what was wrong.
At the locked gate, she peered through the fence and saw a tiny dog gazing at her with pleading eyes. The pup appeared desperate for help.
Rescue Comes In The Nick Of Time
Emily’s heart broke, but she couldn’t abandon her young daughter alone in the car.
She quickly phoned the police and her mother, urging them to come. While waiting, she circled the area in case an owner was nearby.
The little dog, later named Emilia, was all alone. She tracked Emily’s car along the fence, crying as the window rolled down, her eyes pleading for rescue.
Moments later, Emily’s mother and police officers arrived.
As soon as Emilia spotted them, her fear turned into joy. She wagged her tail furiously, dashed to the officers, and leapt straight into Emily’s mom’s car.
“She came to us right away and was unbelievably excited! She was wagging her tail. She jumped right into my mom’s car. She was loving the treats my mom had brought and tried to stick her whole head in the box,” Orr told The Dodo.
It was obvious Emilia had been neglected. She was thin and appeared worn down.
Emily suspected she had been abandoned near sunset. A few more hours in the freezing night could have been devastating for her.
Healing Begins In A Home Filled With Love
That night, Emily’s mom took Emilia in. At first, the frightened dog barked endlessly, keeping everyone awake.
By the next day, a new kennel helped her calm down. Emilia quickly showed herself to be gentle and well-mannered.
She even climbed into her kennel each night without being asked, curling up to sleep peacefully.
Soon, her playful side appeared. She enjoyed toys and even befriended the family cats.
One evening, her devotion became unmistakable.
Orr’s mom collapsed from severe abdominal pain and lay on the floor, waiting for help.
Without hesitation, Emilia rushed over and softly placed her head on her stomach, staying by her side through the ordeal.
“Prior to my mom’s surgery, while she [lay] on the floor in excruciating abdominal pain, Emilia laid by my mom’s side and gently rested her head on my mom’s stomach,” Orr shared.
Though Emily’s mom could not keep her forever, she was determined Emilia would not be abandoned again.
She reached out to Friends of Parkville Shelter, who found a foster family willing to care for her.
Today, Emilia is flourishing in foster care, still waiting for her forever family. After everything she endured, she is more than ready for the love she deserves.