Dogs always need humans who will love them and care for them, but when they are sick, they need their love the most.
Sadly, dogs cannot ask for help. Instead, they wait and hope that a kind soul will notice them and lend them a helping hand.
Ivy was waiting for help, too. When she reached the shelter, she was sick, and she needed urgent care.
Some shelter members didn’t believe she would make it. Little did they know that a miracle was about to happen.
A Shelter Dog In Critical Condition
When the team at McDonough Rescue met Ivy for the first time, it was clear her condition was serious. She was getting worse fast, and the staff was terribly worried for her.
Ivy felt miserable, struggling just to get through each moment.
“I noticed she was dry-heaving and throwing up and that’s when I noticed that she was throwing up blood,” Kelsey at McDonough Rescue told The Dodo.
Some shelter staff tried to prepare the rescue team for the possibility of loss. They explained that Ivy was extremely sick and might not survive.
Even so, the rescuers couldn’t walk away. They felt compelled to protect Ivy and try their best to save her life.
Despite the staff’s warnings, the team made a decision to pull her out of the shelter and bring her to Los Angeles.
“They had tried to talk us out of bringing her home and warning us that she was super sick. And we’re like, ‘Go get Ivy right now,’” Kelsey explained.
When Ivy arrived, she was shut down and exhausted. She barely had the strength to walk during those first days.
Although she was in bad condition, she nuzzled into her new friends, asking for affection.
The rescuers realized how badly she wanted to feel safe. It was the first sign that she didn’t give up.
Healing And A Journey East
The team took Ivy to the vet, and she was started on medication. She needed time to recover.
“We got her to the vet, we got her on medication. We just slowly let her come back to life,” Kelsey said.
Gradually, Ivy started to feel different. She began eating more, and her energy returned little by little. Her eyes started glimmering with hope.
A month after she was rescued, she was strong enough to search for her forever home.
That is when a couple from North Carolina contacted the rescue.
They had followed Ivy’s story and felt deeply connected to her. When they finally met her, Ivy’s reaction said everything.
“It was just complete love at first sight. Ivy was obsessed with Matt,” Kelsey added.
Ivy rushed into their arms, wagging her tail. She felt excited and sensed that this was her new beginning. It was clear that she had chosen her people.
The adoption was completed soon after. Her new parents drove her all the way to North Carolina.
Along the way, Ivy showed how much she had changed. She wanted to explore, play, and stay close. She was no longer afraid.
Ivy felt loved. After everything she endured, Ivy finally had what she needed most, a loving home where she belonged.