These Little Dogs Were Made Ill by Neglect—but Just Look at Them Now!
When most people hear about chained and neglected dogs, they think about large ones tied up or forgotten in the backyard—but as Andie’s and Ariel’s stories show, small dogs need our help, too.
When PETA’s fieldworkers rescued Andie, she was a tiny 10-week-old puppy living amid piles of junk and trash and tethered to a cinder block by a heavy logging chain that weighed more than she did. She was suffering from highly contagious sarcoptic mange and was whimpering in distress, desperate for even a scrap of affection.
Ariel was running loose in a North Carolina trailer park and was being attacked by larger dogs when a PETA fieldworker found her. Still just a puppy, she already showed signs of prolonged neglect: Her fur was filthy and matted, and at just 13 pounds, she weighed roughly half what she should. She also had deformed front legs that pointed to severe malnutrition.
Both puppies were given much-needed veterinary care and adopted into permanent, loving homes. Andie—who was fostered by Partners Among Cats and Canines, a group based in Franklin, Virginia—was placed with a caring family that even took time off from work to help her acclimate. Now, she spends her days carrying her favorite plush alligator toy around everywhere she goes, cuddling on the couch with her human guardians, and hanging out with her feline siblings, Apollo and Artemis.
And Ariel’s legs have healed—she loves to frolic with her new canine brother and sister, swim in the pool, and go for long walks.
What You Can Do
PETA’s fieldworkers spend all day, every day helping neglected animals like Andie and Ariel by providing them with doghouses, emergency veterinary care, flea treatment, transportation to and from spay/neuter appointments, and more. To support their work, click here.
