In Orange County, California, the effort to care for stray animals is shared among community members. While one group of residents focuses on helping the cat community, another rescues dogs. They may work separately, but they always have the same goal: to improve the lives of homeless pets.
Recently, Arturo Flores and Lou Dora were feeding a local cat colony when they noticed a different species of animal nearby. Hidden behind foliage lay a pit bull mix who seemed scared and anxious.
Since the area was mostly industrial, Flores and Dora couldn’t figure out where she’d come from. Then, they received crushing information for someone in a local business.
“The man who worked at [the] tire shop said a car pulled up and dumped her,” Suzette Hall, founder of Logan’s Legacy Dog Rescue, wrote on Facebook.
As the worker recounted the pup’s abandonment, Flores and Dora had a heartbreaking realization. She hadn’t moved from her spot since the day her family left her behind, and it didn’t take long for them to figure out why.
“The corner she stayed in after being dumped out of a car was probably the only grass in town,” Hall wrote. “[She was] so docile but so scared.”
The patch of grass where the dog rested sheltered her paws from the hot pavement and shaded her from the intense sun. But as she sat on the grass staring ahead, the rescuers soon realized that it gave her a sense of hope that her family would return for her.
Sadly, there was no sign of the pup’s previous family, but Flores and Dora knew just whom to call. They reached out to Logan’s Legacy for help rescuing the dog, and Hall rushed over as soon as she could.
The dog still refused to budge from her spot, so Hall set up a humane trap with high-reward treats. She could tell just from the pup’s face that her attempt would be successful.
“This baby was so hungry, “ Hall wrote. “Oh man, did she lick her lips …”
Hall’s prediction came true when the ravenous dog ran into the trap within a few minutes of being set.
Hall was thrilled to have the pup secure in the trap, but she knew the rescue itself was just the first step. She soon loaded the crate into her van and gave the girl one more round of encouraging words before driving off to the vet.
The dog, later named Bean, arrived at Camino Pet Hospital with scabs all over her legs and ears, indicating that she had been fending for herself for quite some time. But as the vet staff carefully washed the dirt and sadness off her body, Bean became more and more comfortable.
Bean has since found a wonderful foster home, where she receives constant care and affection. Hall hopes to find Bean a permanent home soon, but for now, she’s ecstatic to know that the resilient girl is safe and happy.
“She loves to cuddle and is so sweet and thankful,” Hall told The Dodo. “And she loves to hug her foster family.”
Bean is still on a healing journey, though Hall knows her happily-ever-after is just around the corner. In the meantime, she’ll continue to celebrate just how much has changed for the pup: “[The] grass is greener on the other side for this sweet girl.”
