Imagine a cool, snowy night, snug in your cozy abode, when a faint sound from outside catches your attention. Cracking open the door, a horrible sight greets you: a shaken, hairless dog in obvious distress. This wasn’t your typical adorable pup, but could you really ignore its plight? One man faced just this situation. And despite the dog’s scary appearance, he didn’t hesitate. He wanted to help this hopeless animal.
He welcomed the shivering creature into his cozy house, offering it safety. According to the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA, the dog seems to have been abandoned by the roadside, seeking solace and sustenance on that freezing night.
The Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA shared “It appeared that she had been dumped by the roadside and abandoned. It was a frigid night, and it was assumed she came to the door looking for food and warmth.”
Nevertheless, despite the man’s good intentions, he knew that he couldn’t provide a forever home for the dog. So, he did the next best thing—he reached out to the authorities. And later, the police contacted a local shelter to ensure the dog received the necessary care.
Ron Perez, president of the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA, described the dog’s heatbreaking state, saying, “She was in bad shape. She had some open lacerations on her face and neck and was pretty much devoid of any hair. It was sad. It’s always sad to see them like this.”
After arriving at the shelter, she had a careful check, and the vet diagnosed her with demodectic mange, a skin condition caused by mites that leads to hair loss. Later, the shelter staff named her Penny and commenced her treatment. Gradually, her incessant scratching ceased, and the infections started to heal.
With the mites eliminated, Penny’s incredible recovery surprised everyone. In just a week, she appeared like a completely different dog. Weeks passed, and Penny’s transformation continued, with her mange completely gone and her hair beginning to grow back.
Talking about Penny’s incredible journey, Perez said, “She’s a real fighter and very resilient. Her stress levels are clearly much lower now, because she’s interacting with people and she has proper food and is sleeping correctly.”
