Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/arugula-dog-alley-rescue/

Animal rescue work is filled with ups and downs. And between those, there are often periods of intense, gut-wrenching waiting.

Some dogs are found on the brink of death and must be nursed back to health with painstaking care and time, and some spend what feels like an eternity looking for the perfect match to call their forever home.

For the volunteers at One Tail at a Time in Chicago, Illinois, the story of Arugula was filled with moments of breathtaking anticipation and, ultimately, triumph.

1200x628 template 2021 11 09T195319.534 600x314 - Pittie Rescued Starving And Freezing In An Alley Finds Forever Home
Photo: Pixabay/Vane Monte

In late January, Arugula was found by someone who wasn’t even sure she was alive. Her frame was thin, her breath was shallow. Though she was wrapped in a blanket, it did little to protect against the bitter cold.

“In 13 years of running [One Tail at a Time], Arugula was the skinniest dog I have ever encountered,” wrote founder Heather Owen on Facebook.

Just a few hours after the pup was rescued and taken to One Tail at a Time, Owen described Arugula like this:

“She is so emaciated she cannot stand. She was wrapped in a blanket covered in urine clinging to life. She cannot eat or drink, all she can do is curl up in a ball and shiver.”

Immediately, the team at OTAT jumped into action, supported by medical staff, donations, volunteers, and even help from those who had rescued her in that alley — she was placed in a foster home, where she began to thrive.

“Rescuing animals is not easy, but when you have the type of community that showed up for Arugula it makes it more than worth it,” Owen continued on Facebook. Arugula’s transformation had been so dramatic that the team were shocked.

She gained weight, her health improved, and she began to bubble over with energy. It wasn’t long before her foster family fell in love and she became a permanent member of the family.

Now, she has a backyard to play in with her big brother!

Learn more about the important work that One Tail at a Time does, and how you can help here.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog