They Almost Died -- You Can Change Their Story

These three dogs were found locked in the back room of a house. They were weak, dehydrated, frightened, and covered in fleas. There were three other dogs in the living room that had already died before rescue arrived. Their owner, who had been suffering from severe depression, was found dead on the couch.

It’s believed that these three survived because they had some water available. The other dogs in the house were not so lucky; they could not even access the water in the toilet since the lid was down. They had likely gone without care for days or even weeks before they died.

Their owner, a woman in her mid-fifties, had started keeping the dogs indoors after the loss of her mother two years prior. The dogs lived primarily in the living room and kitchen, and the floors of these rooms were covered in feces. There were urine-soaked towels and blankets throughout the house. Fleas had completely infested the carpet, furniture, and the dogs, and blood was found on the couch cushions. 

The three terriers were not discovered until several hours after their owner’s body had been taken away. A real estate agent who is involved in rescue work was called to help remove the dead dogs. She had the presence of mind to check the rest of the house, and that was when she found the three little ones still alive and cowering by the door at the far side of the room. They were taken to the local animal control where they received food and water as well as a flea dip to ease their condition. Shortly after they were safely housed at the shelter, Wright-Way Rescue got a call asking if we could help. We immediately said yes, and transport was arranged.

When they arrived, we began taking them through our standard medical matrix. They were still crawling with live fleas, and it was clear that they were very frightened. Despite the horror that they lived through, they are sweet natured and ready for a new start. We named them all after literary figures because, more than most, they have a story to tell.

Their story includes the story of their owner's grief and suffering that led to such depression that she could no longer care for herself or her pets. Their story also includes the story of their region where the poverty rate is over 35% but a weekend trip to the local veterinarian costs $300. Where it was once standard practice for animal control officers to dump dogs, especially pit bulls, at the county line rather than take them into the shelter. Where dog fighting is so lucrative that even close relatives of law enforcement are involved. Their story includes the story of a place where there are virtually no resources for change, personal or social. 

This is the same story of many places that Wright-Way Rescue drives to in order to save lives. Our mission is to rescue adoptable pets from these areas and give them a second chance. It is that second chance that makes the story of Kerouac, Bukowski, and Paley one of hope. It is a story of hope because it includes you. 

Your donation, your support, and your care create hope, and that hope ripples much farther than you may suspect. Wright-Way strives to network with rescue partners who are working hard to build more compassionate communities where they live. We support their work through our transport program, our medical fund, our No Mom Left Behind program, and our amazing adoption program. Change is slow and setbacks are many, but we know from experience that it is possible. 

Your donation is immediately put to work saving the lives of homeless pets throughout Rural America. Please consider making a small gift today.