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Recently in St. Louis, a dog named Levey was discovered in heartbreaking condition. She had been tied to a fence outside an abandoned school, barely holding on. Emaciated and frail, she was too weak to stand for long, let alone cry for help.
It’s unclear how long Levey had been left like that, but by some stroke of luck, someone spotted her in time. That person didn’t hesitate to call for help, and animal control arrived quickly. The sight of her shocked even the most seasoned officers. Animal control could immediately assess the severity of Levey’s condition and brought her to Stray Rescue of St. Louis’ onsite clinic.
“It’s a miracle someone even saw her,” Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) shared on Facebook.
The medical team began working to stabilize her. Despite being on the brink of collapse, Levey was gentle and affectionate from the start.
“Even though she was in horrible shape, she was so sweet,” Natalie Thomson, the rescue’s chief communications officer, shared with The Dodo. “She was weak and all bones, but she trusted us and wanted to cuddle with our vet techs.”
As much as everyone wanted to give Levey a big meal, they had to be extremely careful. Dogs suffering from severe malnourishment can’t eat too much too fast. Doing so could trigger refeeding syndrome, a dangerous condition that can be fatal. So, Levey’s meals were small and spaced out, slowly helping her body get used to food again.
Over the next few days, Levey began to gain strength. She began gaining weight, and her energy increased. Her tail wagged a little more each day, and her eyes brightened.
“Levey’s personality is amazing,” Thomson said. “She is so grateful for love, affection, and loves other dogs. All she wants to do is play.”
She found an instant best friend in Alaric, another dog rescued from starvation. The two connected right away, as if they recognized something familiar in each other. Their days are now filled with playtime, wrestling, and tail wags.
“They have similar play styles and just wanted to wrestle now that they both are feeling more energetic than they have in a long, long time,” Thomson added. Levey still has some recovering to do. She isn’t quite ready for adoption just yet, so SRSL searched for a foster home where she could build up her strength.
Soon after, Levey found the perfect foster family. SRSL shared:
Levey is doing wonderful! She just had a weight check – she’s safely gained 14 lbs in two weeks! Her foster family says,
“She is getting along with my three dogs and doing great tolerating our cats. She wants to play with everyone all the time now that she feels great!She is learning to come to her name, sit, stay and working on no chasing cats. She is a wonderful dog!”
Now safe, loved, and surrounded by people who care, Levey is focused on healing and being a dog again. All she wants is a soft place to land and someone to love her back.
