Dog Rescued from Death in the Bahamas

Chella Phillips, an animal rescuer in Nassau, has saved countless stray dogs over the past two decades, recently making headlines for her remarkable efforts. She gained attention during Hurricane Dorian in 2019 when she housed 97 dogs in her home, showcasing her unwavering commitment to these vulnerable animals.

After relocating to the Bahamas over 20 years ago, Phillips faced a difficult choice when her husband asked her to choose between him and the dogs she was continually rescuing. “I chose the dogs,” she stated, a decision that has undoubtedly transformed the lives of many strays in the region.

Local animal welfare advocates have noted that many tourists are often heartbroken by the sight of stray dogs on the island. Kim Aranha, president of the Bahamas Humane Society, mentioned, “Some of the tourists end up writing to us and saying, ‘I saw a black dog on this beach,’ etc., ‘here’s a picture,’ and we end up catching it and sending it to the States to them.” This illustrates the emotional impact of the stray dog situation on visitors who want to help.

Phillips recently rescued a dog named Athanasia, who was found in dire condition. “Five weeks ago, while feeding homeless dogs at this particular beach that is more of a cemetery for abandoned dogs, I found Athanasia starved and close to dying under a car,” she recounted. Many dogs on that beach have been abandoned, often by their breeders, and Phillips has witnessed their heartbreaking reality.

When she discovered Athanasia, the dog was suffering from severe health issues, including sarcoptic mange and a venereal tumor. However, Phillips was determined to help. “She was riddled with sarcoptic mange, dehydrated, and anemic,” she explained. With medical care, including antibiotics and weight gain efforts, Athanasia has started to recover. Now described as “good with other dogs and sweet with people,” she has transformed from a sad, neglected creature into a vibrant companion.

We encourage everyone thinking of getting a pet to only adopt instead of shopping and use this amazing pet adoption search tool by WildWatchers to find shelter animals near you!

Read more resources about adopting animals on One Green Planet, including 7 Reasons to Adopt Your Next Furry Best Friend, 5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Adopt a Pet, and These Heartwarming Before and After Pictures of Adopted Rescue Animals Will Make Your Day! Read tips for pet adoptions and what to consider before adopting an animal.

Please sign this petition to Demand Justice for 54 Dogs Who Were Abandoned at a Dog Park!

Related Content:

• Abandoned Puppies Rescued by TikToker and Her Dog During Their Walk
• These Two Dogs Were Rescued After Being Abandoned at a Construction Site in Arizona
• Dog Left Tied to Fire Hydrant and Abandoned, Rescued and Now Has a New Forever Home
• Sweet Dog Abandoned Because He Couldn’t Walk Normally Rescued From Roadside
• Abandoned Dog Whose Fur Was So Matted His Leg Was Stuck to His Ear Gets Rescued

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!