Some dogs just aren’t given a good start to life, like the pups found near an abandoned house in St. Louis.
Rescuers with Stray Rescue of St. Louis arrived to help the dogs and one of them, a puppy with a deeply embedded chain around her neck, ran into the abandoned house to hide.
The other dog barked outside the house, seemingly being protective of the injured pup hiding within its broken walls. Rescuers knew they had to get the dog in a crate before they could go after the injured dog, so they used food to lure her into a trap. Thankfully, the dog was hungry and didn’t seem to mind much.
Once the first dog was secure, the rescuers entered the dilapidated house. Trash and debris were everywhere, but they couldn’t find the injured dog. Eventually, they spotted something – a dog! But it wasn’t the dog they’d seen run into the house. It was a third dog, a rottweiler.
The rottweiler was perched on a couch and didn’t seem to mind the rescuers invading his space, so they focused on finding the injured dog. Eventually, they found her cowering behind a run-down staircase. She was so afraid and in pain from her collar, that she refused to budge.
Not knowing what else to do, rescuers went outside and got a crate. They dragged it through the old house and gently pulled the injured pup inside. The poor thing freaked out and screamed. She was not having it!
Once she was secure, the rescuers went back for the third dog they’d found in the house. As a rescue, they refuse to leave a dog behind.
Once at the vet, they discovered the dog they’d trapped outside had a deep gash on her face from a bullet. At some point in her short life, she’d been shot in the face. She was treated with antibiotics and the bullet was removed so she could begin her healing journey.
The puppy with the embedded collar was a different story. The vet estimated she was just 11 months old, and they’d never seen a collar so deeply tied into an animal’s skin. It wasn’t easy removing the chain and required heavy bolt cutters and a lot of muscle. Finally, they got the heavy links to break off and were able to remove the thing from the dog’s skin.
The poor puppy had deep gashes from where the collar sat in her skin, but her healing journey could finally begin. All three dogs are healing at their own paces and will be available for adoption when they’re ready.
Watch the rescue video below! WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT