This dog had been tied to a fence for several days and was teetering on the brink of death.
His head was swollen and his body was full of infections…
But fortunately, help was nearby.
It was in the spring of 2019 that volunteers from the animal shelter Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) in the US received an alarming distress call.
They quickly arrived on the scene and only then did they truly understand how dire the situation was.
There was a dog tied to a fence, but the dog barely resembled a dog at all…
“His face was swollen about five times larger than it should have been,” wrote SRSL in a Facebook post. “No one was caring for his wounds and he was there in the sun suffering.”
Had been trapped for a few days
The poor dog, later named Marco, had been by the fence for days. He must have been relieved that someone finally came to his aid. But he had suffered too much pain to show it at the time.
The rescue workers cut his leash and carefully lifted him into the car. They then immediately took him to the animal hospital where he would undergo a long and uncertain treatment.
It quickly became clear that Marco’s body was full of infections. He was also suffering from septicemia. It’s unclear what his life was like before the team came to his rescue, but his injuries indicate that he had been exposed to fights with other dogs.
But despite that, he was still peaceful and showed a lot of love, despite his undoubtedly difficult past.
“The most amazing thing is that he still loves and trusts people,” wrote SRSL. “He is still seeking love from them and giving it in return.”
The swelling subsided
Against all odds, Marco managed to recover after a long treatment with antibiotics. His swollen face returned to normal and it became clear what a beautiful face had been hidden behind the swelling all that time.
Once Marco was healthy enough, he was placed in a foster home. And it didn’t take long for his host to really like him and choose to adopt him.
What a terrible past he had… No dog should ever be treated like that.
But how nice that there are people who intervene when the need arises.
