By Alyce CollinsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberTwo emaciated dogs who were so weak they were just days away from passing away have been rescued, and now they’re finally getting the love and care they deserve.
Taylor Bullock, founder and CEO of Happy Tails Animal Rescue in Haute Terre, Indiana received a message in November about a dog that was stumbling down the road. She’s dealt with many animal neglect cases in the past, but Bullock told Newsweek that the picture she received of this dog was “one of the most heartbreaking” photos, and it was like watching “a literal skeleton” walk down the street.
Bullock instantly messaged her husband and her group of animal fosterers to alert them to their newest intake. The dog, who has been named Arlo, was instantly collected and taken to the vet where he was hospitalized for anemia, dehydration, fleas and worms.
...“He had a collar on in the photo, and I thought to myself, surely he doesn’t belong to someone,” Bullock said. “I gasped when I saw the photo. We’ve had our fair share of emaciated animals in our rescue, but nothing to this extent.”
Just 25 minutes after Arlo was found, Bullock received a message about another dog in the same location who was in even worse condition. A member of Bullock’s foster team returned to the home in Indiana and had to carry the dog outside because she couldn’t walk or stand.
The second dog, named Ida (who is Arlo’s mom), was also taken to the vet for immediate medical attention.
“Ida had white gums which indicate a life-threatening emergency. She was severely emaciated, very anemic, had fleas and worms as well,” Bullock said.
Shortly after both dogs were rescued, Bullock filed a police report pertaining to their previous owners. Newsweek has contacted Terre Haute Police Department via email for comment.
...A statement by Terre Haute Police Department (THPD) states that a search of the residence resulted in the seizure of three additional dogs and 11 cats “all of which were found in similar condition to the original animals.” Three children were also removed from the home by Child Services.
THPD also praised Happy Tails Animal Rescue for their “quick actions” leading to the investigation.
Arlo, thought to be an 18-month-old pit bull mix, was hospitalized for two days before he was allowed to go to Bullock’s home. He has vastly improved already, but his recovery is ongoing. The vet warned Bullock that Arlo is “at risk of breaking his bones” if he does too much physical activity.
As for Ida, she had to be hospitalized for two weeks because of how severe her case was.
For the first nine days, she couldn’t even stand up by herself. But thanks to the round-the-clock care she received, she can now stand and take a few steps. As of November 19, she has been released and has joined Arlo at Bullock’s home.
“She has a long way to go, but we can do physical therapy to get her stronger at home,” Bullock said. “She was very close to needing a blood transfusion when she first was hospitalized, but luckily, she was able to regenerate blood cells on her own once she started getting fluids.
“The vet told me she was hours away from passing, and if she wasn’t brought in, she probably would have died the next day. She was unable to move so she had bed sores everywhere, and she was also urine stained, which indicates that she was laying in the same spot for many days.”
Their rescue journey was shared on TikTok (@happy.tails.animal.rescu), leaving internet users horrified by what they had to endure. Many internet users thanked Bullock and her team for saving their lives and giving these dogs a second chance.
...Arlo is finally starting to come out of his shell and has shown what a goofy and happy pup he truly is. He would love nothing more than to jump and pounce onto Bullock at all times, but he’s still not strong enough for that.
Once both dogs have recovered, Happy Tails Animal Rescue will help them find loving forever homes. They both have a long journey ahead, but their futures certainly look much brighter now.
Bullock urges people to speak up if they ever see anything that doesn’t look right. Thanks to that one message about Arlo walking down the street, the lives of 16 animals have been forever changed.
“If you see something, just say something. We only became aware of this because Arlo got loose and someone spotted him before it was too late. If you are ever unable to feed your animals, please reach out online or to a Humane Shelter and don’t just watch animals starve in front of you,” Bullock told Newsweek.
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