Often, stories of victory and success have a long history of struggle and pain. In the world of rescue dogs, this is all too often the case. For people who devote their lives to saving the abandoned animals of the world, there is the occasional miracle story that happens. Little Watson was one of those miracle stories and it may just bring a tear to your eyes.
Stephanie Smith-Justus knew that the puppy she found was dying.
Stephanie is the president of the Buchanan County Humane Society, and it is a good thing too. If not for her dedication and sacrifice, a little dog would never have made it another day.
“On May 7, 2015 Watkins was found. Before this date, we know nothing about him. He was found by my neighbor who alerted me to a “dog who was in terrible shape”.
From the moment that Stephanie found the dog, to the last day in ICU, the dog was a miracle story.
Stephanie and her husband received a call about a dog on the Virginia street where they lived. When the couple went out to look for the dog, they never expected what the found next.
Found on the street where they live, it was an absolute stroke of luck.
The puppy was found on their home street. When they finally got eyes on the dog, Stephanie’s husband’s first words were “he’s not going to make it.” The dog was abandoned and in terrible condition.
After looking for an hour, they finally found the defeated dog in a weedy ditch.
The dog had found a final, cool place to lay down and breathe his last. The couple, however, had not given up hope. Thousands of people joined in to support him through finances and prayer.
“We had looked for him for at least an hour when we finally located him He had crawled into a weedy ditch in an isolated area. We think he had found a cool place to lay down and die. We were determined to not let that happen. Thousands of people were also supporting him.
After the couple found the dog, the second miracle happened.
The couple’s local vet and friend lived on the exact street where they were now. Rushing to her house, they walked in without knocking and asked for help with the dying dog.
Taking the dog to the health clinic, they got to work.
The description of the puppy’s condition is difficult to read.
“She worked quickly to find an IV site. He was in terrible shape His skin was oozing from every pore. He winced in pain when we touched him He had cried so hard for so long that he didn’t have a voice left to cry any more He didn’t have the energy to bite. He was only 4 months old.”
The dog had a skin disease called Demodex and a litany of other issues.
The puppy was malnourished, had infections in his eyes, kidneys, and skin, was dehydrated, and he wouldn’t eat. The dog remained in ICU for over 50 days to recover.
After a list of complications, the other side of the rainbow was visible.
The puppy stopped eating multiple times, mostly due to a twisted bowel that required surgery to correct. Even after, he wouldn’t eat and required help from nutrition and orthopedic specialists.
Slowly, he recovered.
Watkins, named for the street he was found on, learned how to live the life of a normal dog. Finding his favorite toys while regrowing all his fur, learning to eat and use the bathroom outside, all things that this little guy deserved.
Watkins is a wonderful story of the hope of a little puppy and the sacrifice of some people who cared.
Watkins is going to play outside today because of some very kind people! His favorite toys? Anything involving lobsters!
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