When Donna Lochmann initially spotted an abandoned building in St. Louis, Missouri, on behalf of Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), she couldn’t find the dog they were told about. Although contacted by a sympathetic person to inform him of its possible location, the rescuer was unable to locate the animal upon arrival.
Donna told The Dodo:
“We searched every floor and never saw anything. There was no dog, nothing.”
As temperatures dropped and complaints of a barking dog from inside the building increased, Donna decided to return for another search. This time he ended up tripping over a small dog.
Dog found shivering in rubble gets help
The lifeguard said:
“When I got to the back of the building, I saw a small dog lying on the grass. I saw her running towards the back of the building and she came inside, so I followed.”
Unfortunately, Donna arrived at the building too late and was nowhere to be found. Unwilling to accept defeat, she returned to the shelter with a mission: to enlist the help of other staff members to find the dog before it’s too late!
The next day, Donna and her team returned to the building with one goal in mind: to find the frightened dog. As they went from room to room looking for clues, an unexpected sound came to them: a bark!
Donna recalls:
“I got there and there was a poor little dog lying in the rubble of that building. She was absolutely shaking, her legs were shaking so hard.”
Despite the freezing temperatures, the rescuer understood that it was fear and not the freezing weather that was causing the dog to shiver.
Dona added:
“I felt so bad for her. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them shake so much, and it’s heartbreaking to see them so frightened of you.”
Rather than struggling to get her out on a leash, Donna opted to use a plastic crate because it would be easier and less stressful that way. After all, getting her out of the rubble on foot was nearly impossible, and it might have caused more anxiety in an already delicate situation.
The volunteer said:
“Once she was in the cage, she was calm.”
Donna and her team hauled the cage out of the building, making sure to be gentle with its precious cargo. She was then carefully placed in her Jeep before embarking on an emotional journey to the shelter. Upon arrival, she underwent a thorough medical evaluation, which thankfully received full marks!
The dog was called Habanero, at the shelter we were happy to see that she was in good health. However, her first stay at the shelter scared her.
Donna recalls:
“She was still quite scared at first. But she realized that pretty quickly. Within a few days she was no longer growling or shaking when we talked to her.”
Havanese enjoyed his time with the shelter staff, slowly acclimating to his new surroundings. They roam the adjoining premises of the shelter on their daily excursions, exchanging many loving hugs along the way.
Now that the Habanero has finally gotten used to his surroundings, Donna firmly believes he is ready for a foster home. Although this is another transition for this seven-year-old girl, she is confident that she will endure and thrive in this environment.
Finally the woman says:
“Once you walk into a house, you’re going to have to adjust a bit. However, he’ll be fine. I’m glad he’s not shaking anymore.”
Images: Facebook / Stray Rescue of St. Louis
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