It was a bitter afternoon in April when Aliyah and her family were taking a walk with their dogs around their 5-acre property in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Before long, they noticed strange sounds and movements coming from the bottom of a nearby hill. As they approached to investigate, they couldn’t believe their eyes – a black and white dog had somehow gotten her head stuck inside a very heavy and rusted metal pipe. Aliyah and her sister were stunned, but knew the dog’s fragile life was in their hands alone. As luck would have it, Aliyah was just the right person to save the day.
As a dedicated animal care assistant at the League’s San Luis Valley Animal Center, Aliyah had experience in helping pets recover from a variety of health-related concerns and emergencies. Still, she had never seen anything quite like this.
“It hurt me that she was out there in the freezing cold, and I didn’t even know,” Aliyah said. “It’s amazing she made it.” After managing to carry the emaciated dog back to their house, Aliyah and her sister carefully pried the pipe open with a kitchen knife, releasing the dog’s head and what felt like hundreds of maggots. It was clear then that the frightened pup had been trapped for some time.
Although the day was growing dark, Aliyah knew she needed to get to the League as soon as possible. In addition to hunger, the dog was suffering from dehydration; a laceration on her neck; wounds to her face, upper head, and forelimbs; and swollen, infected mammary glands. During her exam the next day, our team speculated that she had recently given birth, and may have been chasing a rabbit or rodent for food when her head became stuck in the pipe. The dog, whom we named Olive, stayed at our Alamosa shelter for nearly three days, receiving nourishment, warmth, and initial medical treatment while waiting to see if anyone from the community recognized her on our Lost and Found page.
When no one came to claim her, our team transferred Olive to the League’s Leslie A. Malone Center for continued and specialized care. In Denver, she was also placed in the foster home of one of our veterinary technicians, Alexis, who, along with her own dogs, fell in love hard with Olive’s sweetness and resiliency. Not surprisingly, growing comfortable with her new social life in a home environment was a bit slow-going.
“Olive had some separation anxiety when she first arrived at my home,” recalled Alexis. “But with time and some anti-anxiety medications, she adjusted quickly.” With her wounds healing and her weight returning to a healthy level, Olive was soon spayed, vaccinated, and made available for adoption. And it didn’t take long for her to find her special soulmate.
At the end of April, just mere weeks after being discovered alone on Aliyah’s property, Olive met Tilley. It was truly love at first sight. “We locked eyes, and I was like, “Yep – she’s the one,” Tilley said. Similar to her experience in foster care, Olive was nervous as a newly adopted dog, warming only gradually to affection, treats, and the freedom to explore her surroundings. Tilley, who knew what her girl had already overcome, was ever-patient and committed to building trust. Today, the two love nothing more than being together, including enjoying playful walks in Wash Park and dancing to their own kind of music. And, while Tilley has brought safety and love into Olive’s life, it’s clear the benefits of their tender bond are mutual. As Tilley shared,
With Olive, I feel I have so much more structure and like, purpose, I guess you could say. Knowing that her life really depends on me and my ability to take her outside and feed her and play with her and get her energy out. And having that structured routine really has changed a lot about MY life … I have to say that adopting Olive is definitely the best decision I have ever made.
Because of your support, animals like Olive receive the care and connection they need and deserve – every step of the way. Help us continue to lead with compassion by donating to the Dumb Friends League before the end of the year.
