While walking her dogs along a levee in California, Maria Harrington suddenly noticed them barking furiously. They were trying to alert her to something unusual below.
When she looked down into the canal, Harrington was stunned to see a motionless, abandoned pup curled up and lying still.
The compassionate woman called out to him, but the dog didn’t respond. Unsure if he was even alive, she tossed a small rock nearby in hopes of catching his attention.
To her relief, the pup slowly lifted his head. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, and it seemed he had given up hope.
An Urgent Rescue Effort
Harrington knew she couldn’t leave the helpless dog behind.
After bringing her own pets safely home, she posted about the abandoned pup, later named Fritz, on Facebook, praying for help.
Soon, she connected with a dog-loving couple willing to assist.
Together, the three worked to lift the weak dog out of the canal. Their hearts sank when they saw that his collar had become embedded in his skin, proof of long neglect.
Even though she already cared for four dogs, Harrington brought Fritz home. She comforted the confused senior pup, promising him he was safe now.
She bathed him gently, gave him a soft bed, and showed him kindness. Fritz seemed to understand that his life had just changed, and he placed his trust in her.
Though the twelve-year-old dog moved more slowly than her others, he still joined walks with the pack, happy just to be included.
Harrington grew very fond of him, but she knew she couldn’t provide what he most needed: a permanent home.
Wanting the best for him, she reached out to Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, a rescue based in San Francisco, California, asking them to help Fritz find a loving family.
The Start Of His New Chapter
The rescue quickly welcomed Fritz into their care. Staff members were heartbroken by his condition and determined to give him a real second chance.
“He was slow and arthritic and had rough elbows which indicated to her that he’d been kept on a hard surface prior to his rescue,” Patty Stanton from Muttville Senior Dog Rescue told Newsweek.
They brought him to a veterinarian for a complete checkup. Fritz was diagnosed with arthritis and dental disease, but treatment began right away. He received arthritis medication and dental care to ease his pain.
A kind woman named Kristin was moved deeply by his story. She volunteered to foster Fritz, giving him both a safe place and new experiences.
Kristin welcomed him into her home and showered him with affection.
Fritz quickly bonded with her, his joy growing every day. The once-hopeless dog now smiled constantly, grateful for comfort and love.
Before long, Kristin realized she could not let him go. She officially adopted Fritz, making him a permanent member of her family.
Thanks to her selfless love and dedication, the senior pup’s life had been completely transformed. For the first time in years, Fritz knew what it meant to be cherished.