There is nothing crueler than living on the streets. Stray animals suffer from starvation, lack of shelter and clean water, and are at constant risk as they try to find food as they cross busy streets. It is exhausting and relentless. Stray animals are a problem in many parts of the world. It isn’t possible to house them all but many organizations, Like Animal Aid, do all they can to help as many animals as possible.
The rescue group received a call about an animal with severe mange. While treating mange is always challenging, in this case her fur had been completely stripped away, leaving her vulnerable to sunburn, secondary skin infections, and parasites. In addition to providing the dog with treats, Animal Aid dispatched volunteers to help her. Unfortunately, the dog was not interested in being picked up and taken away.
It took a lot of patience and dog treats, but the volunteer eventually managed to get close enough to pick up the dog. She wasn’t only wary of people. She was a new mother and her babies depended on her. Now it was time to find her puppies.
One of Momma’s pups looked okay but the other baby, they named Coco, was in bad shape. She was also suffering from mange. Her eyes didn’t look good either. She seemed weak and confused. The volunteer picked the puppy up and brought her over to her mother. They would bring both dogs into the rescue center together.
Momma was put on the exam table. Her poor body was riddled with mange. She needed topical antibiotic ointment and daily medicated baths. They hoped that with their diligence and good nutrition, she would make a full recovery. Momma was scared but the medical team did their best to soothe her.
Coco was examined next. The little puppy worried the medical team. She was lethargic and underweight. They gave Coco a lot of reassurance and love, then applied the topical treatment to her skin as well. She would also need daily medicated baths. Thankfully, mom and baby could remain at the rescue center together until they recovered.
Once the dogs were settled in, it was time for their first meal. Momma and Coco weren’t used to being confined to a kennel nor interacting with humans in this capacity. When a volunteer came in with a big bowl of food, the dogs were a bit worried at first. But once the volunteer knelt down and showed them that she only had the best intentions (and a delicious bowl of food!), the dogs came over and began to eat. It warmed everyone’s hearts right up.
While the dogs were safe, they were in an unfamiliar environment. Coco, who, at just a few months old, was so tiny and so fragile, snuggled up to her mom at every opportunity. She was only able to sleep tucked into her mother’s body. It was a wonderful sight to see. Their bond was so strong and so real.
After a couple of weeks of diligent treatment, Coco and her mom improved drastically. Coco even had the energy to play and it drove Momma a little crazy. The cutest thing happened next and the volunteers were in awe. Coco watched her mom carefully and imitated everything she did. If Momma scratched her ear, so did Coco. If Momma sat down to scratch, so did Coco. Coco didn’t take her eyes off of her mother and it was utterly adorable.
Please watch the video below to find out what will happen to Momma and Coco next. We are eternally grateful to Animal Aid and all they do for the community. They do their very best to assist as many strays as they can.
