There are millions of animals that enter shelters every year.
According to the ASPCA, approximately 6.1 million companion animals enter shelters annually. Not all of these animals are abandoned, some are lost, and many of them are successfully returned to their owners.
A significant percentage of them need to be adopted.
One success story of a dog in need being rescued is Mildred and her rescuer Lee Asher.
Asher is the founder of The Asher House, a non-profit sanctuary in Estacada, Oregon. The non-profit rescues animals that have been discarded or unwanted and provide them with love, care, and comfort.
He travels around the U.S. to promote dog adoption and bring attention to shelters and rescues.
In this video, Asher is fetching Mildred, his latest rescue, from the Southern Oregon Veterinary Specialty Center.
Even at first glance, you can tell Mildred is very thin and needs care and attention.
Asher immediately showers Mildred with affection, petting her and giving her kisses. Although she is still unstable, Mildred is walking around in the video.
You can hear the staff commenting that when she came in, she could barely walk.
The staff weighs Mildred before they leave, and they tell Asher that she weighs approximately 70 pounds and needs to weigh about 100 to 130 pounds.
This gives us a good idea of how bad Mildred’s health situation was before being rescued.
Asher and Mildred leave the vet together, but not before thanking them again for their care and giving them a group hug.
He brings Mildred to his truck, where two other dogs are waiting to welcome Mildred.
The other dogs look completely comfortable with Mildred, and she even falls asleep in between them on the drive home.
When they get home, the rest of Asher’s pack are there to meet the newest addition to their family.
The other dogs swarm around her, and you can see some sniffing her. Even if it’s her first time there, you can already see that she fits in completely.
Mildred is excited to walk around, but after a few steps, her legs give in, and she stumbles and sits down.
Asher immediately goes to her and checks on her.
Back at home, Mildred tries to walk up the stairs but is too weak to make it up. Asher carries her up instead, and she makes a beeline to the bowl of dog food waiting for her.
She finds her spot on the dog bed beside PomPoms, who doesn’t even wake up when Mildred lies down beside her.
Two months later, Mildred is happy, healthy, and thriving at the Asher House.
In the video, you can see that Mildred looks significantly healthier and is walking more confidently. She’s even running with the other dogs, trying to chase an ATV.
Asher reports that she’s doing incredible and describes the dog as, “sincerely the best gift the universe sent me.”
Amazingly, she’s even riding a paddleboard with Asher.
Looking at her, some might not even realize she was the same weak and skinny dog from two months earlier.
He also happily reports that Mildred now weighs 100 pounds, reaching her ideal weight in a couple of months.
Asher is doing wonderful work with Mildred and the other dogs at the Asher House.
The story of Asher and Mildred inspires us!
He is an excellent example of what sincere love and care can do for animals who need rescuing.
If you are considering a pet, please look at adopting and rescuing one of the millions of animals needing help. If you want to learn more about The Asher House, check out their Instagram page.
Watch the heartwarming video of Asher and Mildred below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
