Copyright newsweek
A dog brought to a Florida shelter in a state of serious ill health was due to be euthanized until a dramatic intervention changed everything. An estimated 400,000 dogs who enter shelters in the U.S. are euthanized annually, according to Shelter Animals Count, a national database on animal rescues nationwide. For a time, Ella the dog was set to suffer that same fate. She was in an alarming state of health when she first came into the care of Miami-Dade County Animal Services. Gabriella Dominguez, Public Information Officer at Miami-Dade County Animal Services, told Newsweek: “She was in very poor condition and suffering from multiple medical issues, including severe dehydration, advanced dental disease, corneal problems, muscle wasting, and an overall deteriorated body condition to the point where she was non-ambulatory.” Ella’s life before she was brought to animal services was something of a mystery. It was unclear whether the injuries she had were the result of living life as a stray or something else. “She was picked up as a stray in the field by one of our officers and did not have a microchip or identification tag,” Dominguez added. The grim reality was that, sadly, Ella needed a level of treatment that animal services was not able to offer. “Our veterinary team provided care and treatment; however, several of her conditions required further evaluation by a private veterinary specialist,” Dominguez explained. With heavy hearts, it was decided that Ella would need to be euthanized. A date was even set for when she would be put down. “Ella was scheduled for humane euthanasia on October 3 to prevent unnecessary pain and suffering,” Dominguez said. Ella’s days seemed numbered, but then something extraordinary happened; it began when a video was posted to UrgentdogsofMiami, an Instagram account highlighting some of the state’s at-risk shelter dogs. The video put Ella front and center, with the users behind the clip urging someone to give her a chance. In the end, salvation came from an unexpected source. Ella was in very bad condition when she first came to the shelter. “Thankfully, True and Faithful Pet Rescue Mission (TFPRM) stepped forward and rescued Ella,” Dominguez said. A Venice-based rescue specializing in saving seniors and dogs from high kill shelters, a spokesperson for the rescue told Newsweek they saved Ella with just hours to spare. “We saved Ella about 2:00 P.M. and her deadline was 4:30 P.M.” they said. It’s only been a few weeks but Ella has already undergone a dramatic transformation, taking several significant steps towards returning to full health in the process. It’s a change documented in a video posted to the TFPRM’s Instagram. “We did an emergency dental and saved her life,” the TFPRM spokesperson said. “She is slowly gaining weight and is thriving in our care at the ranch where she will remain for the rest of her days!” It’s a remarkable turnaround for Ella, who had gone from being abandoned and neglected to pampered and cared for in a way she probably never had been before. “She is an absolute joy and loves to be hand fed,” the TFPRM spokesperson said. Ella is one of the lucky ones. More dogs will be put to sleep this year, but if this intervention shows anything it’s that every dog deserves a chance.
