Seven dogs abandoned in a backyard, two of which were near death and suffering from life threatening medical conditions upon arrival, required our veterinarian to immediately rearrange her schedule in order to perform their emergency surgeries. Waiting was not an option for them – these two dogs surely would have died otherwise. The other five dogs, while not physically hurt, were suffering emotionally. All seven were extremely unsocialized and terrified of everything.
One of those dogs, Jupiter, was sent to a foster home with a family who lived in Coldwater. They had experience with unsocialized, frightened dogs like him and their sweet senior dog was ready to help him acclimate to his new life. However, as soon as Jupiter had the chance, he scaled their fence and escaped the very first night he was there.
Frantic, Jupiter’s foster family went out searching for him but had no luck. Several of our staff members quickly formed a search team after hours and made it their mission to find our terrified boy. Two days after escaping, the search team spotted Jupiter at the Fairgrounds in Coldwater. Because of his previous neglect, the poor dog didn’t trust anyone and wouldn’t let any of his rescuers approach him.
Residents in the neighborhood were notified and a four-month long rescue mission began.
Jupiter evaded live traps, slipped through leashes, and bolted every time someone got near him. We set up dog houses, straw, and food in several areas that he was known to frequent. Several wonderful residents in the area did the same.
Jupiter became quite popular in the area, with staff members keeping in touch with area residents as their search team continued to drive over an hour each way, several times a week, in order to search for him. Jupiter had several favorite locations, including one house whose dogs he befriended and another house whose porch he slept on for about a week straight.
Our biggest fears came when the Polar Vortex brought blizzard-like conditions followed by freezing, life-threatening temperatures to the area. Our staff members, again after hours, didn’t let the extreme conditions stop them. They did not succeed in catching Jupiter before conditions worsened.. but by some miracle this incredible dog survived.
We finally received a call on Sunday that Jupiter had been captured inside a neighbor’s kennel! We couldn’t believe our ears, after so much work and dedication. Jupiter’s search party made their final trip back to Coldwater to finally pick up our special boy. Their hard work and perseverance had finally paid off.
Although every member of the pack that Jupiter came from suffered medical neglect and emotional abuse, the good news is that each of them are now thriving in their new homes, so we know Jupiter can too. He will definitely need another dog in the home because it is with his canine friends where he finds the most comfort. Physically, Jupiter is currently better than ever. He gained six pounds during his adventure and doesn’t appear to be injured. Mentally, however, this poor boy is going to need quite a bit of time, love and patience to recover. With such an incredible amount of support and people who love him already though, Jupiter’s life can only get better from here.
to continue providing life-saving help to Jupiter and other homeless pets who need you
