The exhausted dog understood that this man was the last chance for salvation (10 photos)

The road worker could not believe his eyes when he saw this creature come out of the forest towards him. The animal had the head of a dog with the saddest eyes in the world, and instead of a body there was a skeleton covered with skin. This man was the last chance for salvation and, gathering his last strength, the dog hardly moved its paws in his direction...

This picture broke the man's heart. He knew he couldn't leave someone who came to him for help and called the Canine Compassion Fund animal rescue service. Their volunteer immediately went to the scene.

“She could barely stand on her feet. Her hind legs couldn't even support the weight of her skeleton, so they were bent. While stroking her, I felt every bone of her, which was covered only by thin, thin skin,” says volunteer Molly Schilly.

The emaciated heroine of this story was named Gracie. Rescuers don't know exactly what happened to her, but they have a guess.

“Most likely, Gracie was supposed to become a hunting dog, but her kind heart did not allow her to kill and fetch animals, so her owner simply abandoned her, abandoning her in the forest,” says Molly.

Molly took Gracie to the vet. An examination showed that in addition to severe exhaustion (her weight barely reached 8 kg), she also had heartworm. She needed to be treated, but the dog’s condition did not allow this. Therefore, to begin with, it was necessary to normalize her weight and help her get stronger.

Naturally, the decision was made not to place her in a shelter. Molly immediately agreed to take her home and help her get better faster.

Here another problem of Gracie was revealed - emotional.

“Gracie was deeply depressed. Apparently, she was completely disappointed in people. The first week she either lay on her mat or wandered around the house excitedly, not understanding what was going on,” says Molly.

But the woman did not give up. She carefully gained confidence in Gracie and food helped with this. The dog had to be fed 6 times a day in small portions. And Gracie was so hungry that she ate everything in one bite and looked forward to the next meal.

Her weight began to gain, and with it came her trust in Molly.

As time passed, Gracie recovered and learned what it meant to live in a home where you were loved and cared for. But more than anything else, she was impressed by the toys. She just loves it.

“Her toys are kept in a box, but Gracie doesn't like it. She definitely has to pull them all out of there, bite each one a few times, and then she brings them to me and we play tug.”

Gracie's weight is almost back to normal, which means she will soon begin her heartworm treatment. And after she is completely healthy, they will find her a permanent and loving family.

“She is very grateful to us for saving her. In her six years of life, she did not know what tenderness, love and care were. She was treated poorly and could not express these feelings, so she kept them deep in her heart. But now she is ready to share all this with people. It’s wonderful,” says Molly.

We can only hope that such a wonderful beauty will not have to look for a new home and a new family for long. After everything she has been through, she deserves a new and happy life!