Sick puppy recovers after being dumped in CO neighborhood. He’s ready for a home
A woman witnessed someone dump a sick puppy in a Colorado neighborhood and helped it to safety, officials said.
Now after a lot of love and care, the puppy is feeling better and is ready for a new home, the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region said in a May 8 post on Facebook.
“This is a hard story for us to tell, but we’re hoping you can help rewrite the ending,” the organization said in the post. “Possum was just a tiny puppy when the world let him down. It was a quiet spring afternoon. The sun was shining. The breeze was soft. And somewhere in a neighborhood like yours, a car slowed to a stop. A woman walking by watched in confusion as the door opened and something was thrown out.”
The car then sped off before she could catch the license plate, the post said.
“What was left behind was a crumpled, trembling shape in the grass,” officials said. “It was a puppy. Barely breathing. So small, so fragile…so alone. He didn’t cry. He didn’t move. He just lay there, as if he didn’t believe anyone would come for him.”
The woman carried the puppy to her backyard and wrapped him “in the softest blanket she had, hoping all he needed was a little warmth and rest,” officials said.
“But Possum didn’t get better,” officials said. “He began to vomit. His tiny body was so tired that he could barely lift his head.”
The woman called the humane society for help, officials said.
“When our Animal Law Enforcement officer arrived, he took one look at the puppy and knew this was urgent,” officials said. “Possum was slipping away.”
The officer took the puppy to the emergency veterinarian, where “the diagnosis came quickly: parvo. A cruel, fast virus that often takes puppies before they ever get their chance,” officials said.
The veterinary team started treatment right away and stayed by the puppy’s side through the night.
“And then… morning came. Possum was still there. Still breathing. Still fighting,” officials said. “As soon as he was stable, we brought him to the shelter. He had survived the storm, but he was far from strong.”Staff at the shelter “wrapped him in love,” officials said. “We gave him soft beds, careful feedings, gentle voices.”
“Little by little,” the puppy started improving, the shelter said.
“A tail wag. A soft lick on a vet tech’s hand. A playful bow,” officials said. “Then one day, Possum stood up and spun in a happy circle when our team came to visit. The next, he bounced toward the door, ready to play. Soon, he was greeting everyone with wiggles and bright eyes.
“Possum came back to life,” officials said. “He doesn’t remember the fear, the sickness, or the moment he was left behind. All he knows now is that life is full of joy. He loves to run. He loves to play. And more than anything, he wants to be close to someone who loves him back.”
While the 4-month-old pup is still learning good manners, officials said he’s “ready for patience, for play, and for a love that lasts.”
The listing on the shelter’s website says Possum has “a lot of energy” and needs “an active and patient home.”
“You can help write the next chapter of Possum’s story. The one where he finally finds home,” officials said.
Photos show the all-black Labrador retriever puppy with white markings on his chest looking at the camera from a crate and lying on the floor while wearing a leash.
“Poor baby,” someone said in the comments. “I’ll never understand awful people who hurt animals. I hope he finds the most loving home a puppy could have.”
“That’s a sad story with a happy ending, and what a beautiful little baby,” another person said.
