The phrase “it takes a village to raise a dog” couldn’t be more appropriate for Annie McHound’s story. The canine was found hiding in the corner of a backyard by a family when she was just under 3 years old on a scorching summer day. Although it was unclear how long she had been there, her frail state indicated that time was running out. Sensing the urgency, the family reached out to Stray Rescue of St. Louis for help and placed the puppy in a large Tupperware container. Donna Lochmann, the chief life-saving officer at Stray Rescue of St. Louis, rushed to their aid and found Annie in an alarming condition. Lochmann was convinced that she wouldn’t have made it much longer had they not intervened.
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Thankfully, the family acted promptly and asked for assistance when they realized their dog, Annie McHound, was in a dire state. According to Lochmann, Annie was extremely emaciated and infested with fleas, which was quite alarming even for an experienced rescuer. Lochmann immediately alerted the shelter’s medical staff about Annie’s condition and carefully transferred her into her vehicle. From that moment on, a team of devoted volunteers rallied together to save Annie’s life. Upon arrival at the shelter, the team began by thoroughly cleaning her up. It quickly became apparent that Annie was too weak to stand on her own after the bath. The group worked together to make her as comfortable as possible in one of the kennels by wrapping her in a cozy blanket.
The squad made an effort to hydrate her, but as her condition didn’t ameliorate, they decided to transfer her to an emergency center for a blood transfusion. Annie’s crew had grown fond of her in just a few hours of acquaintance and was ecstatic to have her back. They were enthusiastic about assisting their newly found buddy in her recuperation process.
In an effort to improve her health, the team administered fluids to Annie. However, after seeing no progress, they decided to rush her to an emergency facility for a blood transfusion. Despite the short time spent with Annie, her new tribe had already developed a deep affection for her and eagerly awaited her return. Determined to nurse her back to health, they provided unwavering support during her recovery. Due to severe anemia, Annie’s lungs were greatly affected and she was confined to an oxygen chamber for most of her time. Nevertheless, the shelter employees stayed by her side, offering companionship and comfort both inside and outside of the chamber.
In Lochmann’s words, it was an attempt to give Annie a breath of fresh air and spend some quality time with her that made the difference. To everyone’s delight, Annie began to grow stronger slowly but surely. She was shifted out of the clinic and into a special area of the shelter where she could interact with other animals. Once her lungs were strong enough to function without the support of an oxygen chamber, Annie truly came alive. As Lochmann joyfully recounts, she started showing all the signs of a happy dog- making friends with fellow canines and indulging in playful activities.
