For any fur parents or dog lovers, it’s heartbreaking to know that some strays spend most of their years, if not the rest of their lives, on the streets and never knowing love or the comfort of a caring family.
This was almost the fate of one sickly senior dog. Meet Helen, an old stray dog who lived most of her life on the streets of a small resort town in Romania. She survived off the kindness of the locals.
But since she was getting on in years and with no one properly taking care of her, she grew weaker and frailer. Her small corner in the neighborhood became filthier—a dirty food container on one side and an unwashed blanket on the other.
Source: Howl Of A Dog
This was how a tourist came across Helen one gloomy day. Helen’s situation was as bleak as the sky that day, and the tourist knew they could not just leave Helen that way.
After all, being old, sickly, and alone does not bode well for any dog.
Rescuers Rush To Helen’s Side
After receiving the tourist’s message, rescuers from Howl Of A Dog quickly rushed to Helen’s location. They found the unfortunate hound curled up on her blanket.
The rescuers gave her treats to befriend her, but sweet as she is, Helen didn’t need a lot of coaxing. Her would-be saviors gently put a leash on her and guided her to their car, where they would then drive for two hours to have Helen checked by a vet.
Source: Howl Of A Dog
One look, and they knew Helen needed immediate medical attention due to her age, but what they didn’t expect was how sick and alone she truly was.
Helen’s Grim Diagnosis
After some blood work, the vet diagnosed Helen with Anaplasmosis, a bacterial tick-borne illness that can cause weakness, fever, dehydration, low appetite, and even bleeding and seizures in serious cases.
Aside from that, a pink plastic tag attached to Helen’s ear showed that Helen went through a trap-neuter-release program many years ago. The type of tag she had was last used in 2013, meaning that Helen had been a stray for at least six years before her rescue in 2019.
Source: Howl Of A Dog
The vet and her rescuers estimated Helen’s age to be at least seven years old at the time of her rescue, which means that Helen had been a lonely stray almost her entire life.
It’s a heart-wrenching realization that this sweet dog never knew a loving fur parent or the warmth of a home, all while suffering through a terrible disease.
A Happy Ending For Helen
Thankfully, sweet Helen’s harrowing tale did not end on a sad note. Her rescuers worked tirelessly to cure her diagnosis, and after a month, she was Anaplasmosis-free!
Her time on the streets did not dampen her sweet nature. She was one of the most well-behaved dogs that graced the shelter and swiftly made new dog and human pals. Despite her age, she was very fond of walks.
Source: Howl Of A Dog
And the best thing for sweet Helen? She finally got her fur-ever home with a wonderful family from a quaint village in the Netherlands!
Her remaining days were now filled with so much joy and love. After everything, Helen deserved all the pats, cuddles, and blissful morning walks she could ever want.
