Donna Lochmann, of Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), Missouri, sure had a busy day out on the field.
After rescuing 19 stray animals from a private residence in one day, Donna had a quite tough challenge.
Namely, a little puppy who wasn’t really fond of hoomans had a really tough time trusting Donna and understanding that she was there to help.
No Man Left Behind
Being super fearful, the little pup backed herself into a corner, barking in defense and not allowing Donna to come closer.
But, Donna, refusing to leave her behind, just kept on trying to get to her.
“She was pretty feral. She clearly had not been handled by humans,” said Donna, chief life saving officer at SRSL.
Even though Donna and her team didn’t have too much information about how the animals were raised previously, they could conclude that they were not properly taken care of at all.
Since they lacked human interaction, the dogs became quite fearful of humans, not understanding why they were there and what they were trying to do.
Unfortunately, this little dog, later named Roaring River, was the most fearful of the bunch.
But, regardless of that, Donna and the SRSL shelter manager, Kiara, were not going to give up on this pup!
Whenever Kiara tried to reach out to her and get her out of the corner, Roaring River would nip on her arm. Fortunately, the pup got tired soon enough, allowing Donna to reach out and grab her.
Both Donna and Kiara were super relieved when they saw that Roaring River was now safely in their car, ready to be taken back to the Missouri shelter.
At The Shelter
As soon as they arrived, all the dogs went in for a full medical checkup, making sure that they got healthy as soon as possible.
When each dog received the treatment they needed, and the attention they deserved, they were ready to start their new life.
However, Roaring River needed a bit more time to get used to her new environment.
Not being used to leashes or being able to walk with one, the SRSL staff had to carry her outside to the yard in order for her to get her daily exercise.
We carried her out to the yard the first few times until she got more used to being on a leash and walking some. But even then, it was a struggle.
However, being the good girl she is, she eventually got used to the leash and was able to run around the yard without any hesitation.
She runs, plays and chases the other dogs. She’s a totally different dog.
Forever Home
With Roaring River being more confident, the staff started looking for a forever home that would give her all the love and attention this little pupper deserved.
All of her other siblings got adopted pretty fast after arriving at the shelter, but this did not worry Roaring River at all. In her heart, she knew that, out there, there is a family that will take her in with open arms someday.
And, she was right!
Not too long afterward, a family started coming to the shelter regularly, playing with Roaring River and making her get used to them, as they did not want to shock her by just suddenly taking her to a new environment.
They’re just really letting her get used to them, which is a smart way to handle that. They seem very patient and understanding of her situation.
And, before she knew it, Roaring River was adopted!
But, to her surprise and delight, she was adopted along with another dog!
Not only does she have a new family now, but also a furry sibling who will keep her company, playing and running around with her till their paws give up.
Good girl, Roaring River!
SRSL documented the inspiring journey of Roaring River, check it out!
