Severely Emaciated Dog Found Under A Bridge Turns Into A Stunning Beauty After Recovery
Two rescuers came across an abandoned dog and quickly took him to their shelter. When the staff saw him, they were stunned.
He was extremely thin and in such terrible shape that they weren’t sure he would make it. But no matter what, they were committed to giving him a chance at a happy life.
A Shocking Discovery Under The Bridge
Two kindhearted girls stumbled upon a heartbreaking sight under the Manhattan Bridge—a starving, abandoned dog barely clinging to life.
Without hesitation, they scooped him up, wrapped him in warm blankets, and rushed him to safety at Animal Haven, a New York-based animal shelter.
Source: Animal Haven
When the shelter staff first laid eyes on him, they were devastated. The poor dog was nothing but skin and bones, his frail body showing signs of extreme neglect.
No one knew if he would make it, but they were determined to give him every chance at survival.
From the moment Timmie, as he was later named, arrived at Animal Haven, it was clear he was a fighter. Despite his weak state, he surprised everyone by managing to stand and walk around a little.
“So we brought him inside. We first put him on the floor. And we just took a look at him, and you could tell that everyone was so heartbroken,” said Nicole Chan, director of marketing and communications at Animal Haven, to The Dodo.
Realizing the urgency of his condition, rescuers rushed him to an emergency vet. The examination confirmed their worst fears.
“The vets determined that some of the numerous wounds on his skin strongly suggested abuse – consistent with cigarette burns. On top of everything, Timmie was also diagnosed with pneumonia“, wrote Animal Haven on Facebook.
Source: Animal Haven
The vets warned that his recovery would be long and uncertain, but that didn’t stop the dedicated team from doing everything in their power to save him.
With daily visits from the shelter staff, expert medical care, and generous donations from kindhearted people, Timmie slowly began to heal.
The once-hopeless dog was finally on the road to a new life.
A Second Chance At Life
After 36 days in the hospital, Timmie was well enough to leave. Though his journey to full recovery wasn’t over, this was a huge milestone.
Source: Animal Haven
Back at the shelter, staff welcomed him with open arms, but his stay there wouldn’t be long. Offers to foster Timmie poured in, and soon, he found the perfect temporary home with a woman named Allison.
“Allison came out of the woods,” Nicole said. “We were just like, ‘We hope this is a foster fail’!“
Source: Animal Haven
Their wish quickly came true. Timmie and Allison formed an unbreakable bond almost immediately.
“Right away, he would not leave my side,” Allison shared. “Anytime I sat on the couch, he’d jump up on the couch and be right next to me.“
Source: @apupnamedtimmie
Not only was his physical health improving, but his emotional wounds were healing as well. He had finally found someone who truly loved him.
A Forever Home
Three weeks after welcoming Timmie into her home, Allison knew she could never let him go.
Source: @apupnamedtimmie
“After three weeks of having him, I could not imagine at that point bringing him back and having someone else adopt him,” she said. “It’s like, ‘OK, this makes sense. This works.’“
On adoption day, Allison took Timmie back to where his journey to a better life had begun—Animal Haven.
The shelter staff was overjoyed to see how far he had come, knowing that just weeks earlier, he had been on the brink of death.
Source: Animal Haven
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Animal Haven thanked everyone who played a part in Timmie’s incredible transformation. They ended with a powerful message:
“Working in animal rescue is often difficult, but unimaginably rewarding.“, they said. “When animals like Timmie come through our doors, it can make you lose faith in the world. But happy endings like these make everything worthwhile.“
Timmie’s story is a reminder that with love, care, and kindness, even the most broken souls can find their way back to happiness.
