Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/dog-buried-under-rocks-adopted/

A border collie named Jake was found deliberately buried under a pile of rocks, but he’s now living his best life with one of his rescuers.

Back in November 2020, people out for a walk in the Scottish Highlands heard Jake’s cries coming from a large pile of rocks. They immediately started digging and throwing rocks aside and discovered the terrible truth – a dog was trapped under the rocks, barely clinging to life.

The walkers quickly called the Scottish SPCA and Yvonne Sloss and Mark Greener responded to their call.

According to an official statement released by the SSPCA, Jake was transported to the Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre veterinary clinic, but responders were unsure if he would survive the night.

In the statement, Sloss, who was one of the first responders on the scene, said, “This was truly one of the worst cases I have ever experienced.”

She continued, saying, “When I first saw Jake I felt shock, sadness and disbelief that someone had deliberately done this to him. His head was so swollen and he was in a terrible way. We didn’t think there was any way he would make it. He was in a comatose state when we arrived at the vet where he received emergency treatment.”

Despite his grim state, Jake turned out to be quite tenacious and determined to live. He somehow pulled through the night and went on to begin his healing journey.

“Miraculously, Jake survived the night. It was only when he was transferred to our Glasgow vet clinic that we found out how bad it actually was. Poor Jake was in need of a lot of care to help him recover both mentally and physically,” Sloss explained.

After being evaluated by the veterinary clinic, Jake was found to have fractures on his skull and jaw and lost his eye entirely from the injuries. The poor dog had to undergo multiple surgeries to survive, but he slowly started to recover.

After weeks of rehabilitation, Jake was deemed fit enough to go to a foster home, and inspector Mark Greener stepped in. Greener had only been on the job for a week when he was called to respond to Jake’s case, so the dog had a special place in his heart and he was more than happy to offer the recovering pup a temporary home.

In the statement, Greener said, “When Jake came home with me, he was still incredibly fragile. His fractures hadn’t completely healed and he was unable to close his jaw. Jake required specialist care and it took time for him to come round and really heal.”

Beyond needing to heal physically, Jake also suffered a lot mentally. No one is sure what abuse he endured before being buried alive under the pile of rocks, but it likely wasn’t a nice life for him.

“It took him a while to trust me but now that he does, we’re bonded forever,” Greener said in the statement.

Jake ended up being Greener’s foster fail, but Greener wouldn’t have it any other way. He recognizes the strength it took for Jake to build up trust and comfort in him and he couldn’t take that away from him.

He said, “We are always outside and Jake loves to play. I really couldn’t imagine life without him now. I’m so thankful to the passers-by who found Jake. Without them he may not have survived that day.”

Animal cruelty still plays a large role in day-to-day life for domesticated, wild, and farm animals. While animal protection under the law is certainly changing and broadening, nothing can make a difference like an individual who chooses to be kind can make.

Watch the touching video about Jake’s rescue below:

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog