It’s exceptionally difficult for dogs with a lot of fur to survive on their own on the street, especially when that fur gets matted.
A lot of them end up suffering from infections, or they get fleas and ticks. The heat suddenly becomes a bigger problem, and they just have a hard time seeing things.
It’s absolutely tragic what some dogs have to go through in these situations, but there is a small silver lining, and that is that there are many people who work to help get them off the streets.
When Missouri rescuers from Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) found a stray matted dog, they were shocked after realizing what was under all that fur.
She Suffered So Much
It was a normal day for SRSL staff when a Good Samaritan suddenly walked into their building with a severely matted dog.
The person asked the rescuers if they had more room for one more dog, and they said yes. They were more than willing to help in this difficult situation.
SRSL wrote on Facebook: “Someone brought in this tiny, matted pup they found. Of course, we said YES! We’ll get this little lady all fixed up.”
The staff took in the dog they named Wooly, and then started planning on how they were going to get rid of all her fur.
They did a medical exam on her, only to find out her condition was way worse than they thought. They continued by saying: “This poor, tiny 10-pound pup is being EATEN ALIVE and infested with maggots.”
Missouri rescuers immediately got to work and started removing the fur from the dog. After it was all taken care of, they could see that the dog’s skin was still inflamed and infected.
They gave her medication for that and placed her on a new diet to help her get healthy again. In the meantime, the rescuers worked tirelessly to find a medical foster for this pup.
Everything Is Changing For The Better
They said: “This little angel is being picked up shortly to go to a medical foster home, so she doesn’t have to be in the loud, scary shelter. We want her to be as comfortable as she’s ever been!”
Wooly was so happy after being taken into her new foster home. Her tail was starting to wag and her personality was shining through.
She was finally able to rest and just be herself. Wooly no longer had to worry about scavenging food or finding shelter. She was taken care of.
About two months after her rescue, the staff from SRSL had some good news. Wooly had found a forever home.
That pretty much changed everything. Her recovery at a foster home had made her more outgoing and playful, and that means everything. It’s why she was able to fit in so well with her new family.
SRSL ended by saying: “Woolly arrived at the shelter, unrecognizable as a schnauzer. She’s an, ‘I can’t believe that’s the same dog’ – dog. THIS is why fostering shelter dogs matters! Woolly is living her dream life!”
