A Texas dog and cat rescue Three Little Pitties Rescue, was tagged in a Facebook post about a dog who was abandoned under a freeway overpass.
Due to a language barrier and poor location translation, her exact whereabouts remained unclear.
Despite the uncertainty, Lindsey from the rescue headed out, hoping to locate the frightened dog.
Eventually, she found her and called three other dedicated rescuers to assist in helping this extremely scared and injured girl.
The Challenging Rescue Effort
Lindsey immediately noticed something was seriously wrong with her.
“From my first angle of seeing her, it looked like her foot had been chopped completely off,” she said.
They had no way of knowing how long her leg had been like that or when she was abandoned, but it seemed likely she was injured either during her dumping or being thrown from a vehicle.
Either way, this girl had endured significant mistreatment and suffering.
Even in her eyes, the rescuers could see the intense pain she was experiencing. She was exhausted, completely drained from everything she had endured.
Lindsey’s mind raced with questions: “How long was she under that bridge?” and “How long did it take for her to end up in this condition?” Yet the most urgent matter was helping her immediately.
It took about 30 minutes to get her comfortable enough to move her into the car. She could barely walk due to the severe pain she was experiencing.
She was also frightened and vocal with her discomfort, which broke their hearts. Still, she wagged her tail once she felt safe and comforted by her rescuers.
Since it was late at night, they rushed her straight to the emergency vet.
Rushing To Provide Critical Care
On the way to the emergency vet in Galveston, TX, her condition seemed to worsen, and her discomfort increased.
“I heard her cry, and it was so sad and pitiful,” Lindsey said.
Lucie Caboose, as she was later named, was diagnosed with Pyometra, a dangerous infection of the uterus caused by not being spayed.
In addition, she was battling multiple infections affecting her heart, liver, kidneys, and foot, along with severe heartworm. Strong antibiotics were administered to help combat these issues.
The vets were unable to perform surgery because her heart was too weak. Some days she showed improvement, but setbacks kept occurring.
Lucie fought hard, but eventually her body could not keep up with the extensive infections.
After more than $6,000 spent and multiple weeks in the hospital, the infection progressed further.
“She went peacefully surrounded by so much love that I hope she felt. She deserved more. 💔 She deserved a family who loved her, snuggled her and took care of her needs,” Three Little Pitties Rescue wrote in their Facebook post.
The team tried everything possible to help her, and while her condition was severe, she was at least surrounded by people who cherished and cared for her.
“Lucie, we are so sorry this happened to you. We are sorry your owners failed you. We are sorry we couldn’t save you. We tried so hard to. We loved you and you were worth it. Your life mattered.”
Texas continues to face a large number of abandoned animals, and shelters are constantly over capacity.
Let Lucie’s story serve as a reminder that no dog should ever experience such neglect or pain.
Lucie, we hope you are finally comfortable, loved, and at peace.