Starving Puppy Left on Sidewalk in Freezing Conditions Experiences Kindness for the First Time

Millions of dogs and cats are left homeless every year in the U.S. and forced to walk the streets in hopes of survival. For young puppies, who have no knowledge of how to survive on their own, abandonment is surely a death sentence. That was nearly the case for a three-month-old puppy who was recently dropped off on a sidewalk and left to freeze.  The starving pup was found in the middle of the night in Pittsburgh, PA, he was injured, emaciated, and alone. Thankfully, a good samaritan spotted this poor soul, scooped him up, and brought him to Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center, where he is now in good hands.

Finally in the care of rescuers, this pup has a chance at life, but the road to recovery is going to be a long one.

The rescue shelter had issued an urgent message on the evening when the pup was discovered, stating they would stay open due to the dangerously cold temperatures and wind chill. Thank goodness they did, as this likely saved the poor little one’s life.

According to Animal Rescue League, he has an injured paw and suffers from what his caretakers call a flat-footed walk. “It’s evident that the poor puppy has spent most of his brief life confined to a cage,” they said. Despite his poor condition, this little pup is showing signs of improvement and his rescuers report that his wound is beginning to heal. It will be a long time before he is ready for adoption, but in the meantime, his caretakers are giving him all the TLC he needs.

“We’re calling him ‘Valentino’ since it’s likely that this Valentine’s Day weekend is the first time he’s ever been shown love,” they said.

If you’d like to contribute toward Valentino’s care and help Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center rescue other dogs and animals in need, click here. If you ever see an animal left out in the cold, please contact your local law enforcement agency and let them know. Check out some rescue hotlines here.

All image source: Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center