Dog News

Woman Befriends Stray for Six Months and Rescues Him

by Katherine

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When Connie Jones from Brierfield, Ala., first met Ranger this past April, he was just a bag of skin and bones with no fur. In the wooded area surrounding Jones’s home, the dog survived as he could, but once the pet and this animal lover crossed paths, Jones knew she couldn’t leave him there to die. It took six months for the woman to trap the dog, and during this time, she gained his trust and nursed him back to health.

A healthier looking Ranger after being cared by Connie Jones during six months.
A healthier looking Ranger after being cared by Connie Jones during six months.

 

Jones believes than Ranger was abandoned in the area, and was probably abused before that.

“I believe he was dumped for several reasons,” Jones told AL.com. “His condition was so poor, he was so emaciated. He’d been starved a long time. Even on his own, he would have found food. Somebody would have put some food out, or he would be eating road kill. He was starved. There are a lot of dogs that go hungry in the care of people.”

Thanks to Jones, Ranger had a secure daily meal – sometimes two. With the meals, Jones gave the dog chewable tablets and treated him for fleas and ticks. She also gave him two doses of heartworm preventative medication.

The dog was very skittish and the pet rescuer knew that getting him to step inside a humane trap would take time an patience. The animal lover gained the dog’s trust and got him to trust crates. She placed a trap near the dog’s food bowl and baited  it with hot dogs or other tasty treat.

Ranger during his early days.
Ranger during his early days.

 

On Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014, Jones successfully triggered a trap after Ranger stepped inside it. Now the dog lives in this woman’s pool house while he gets ready to find his forever home.

The six months of nursing helped Ranger gain weigh and grow fur again. He is not ready for his forever home yet, but once Ranger gets a clean bill of health, he will be placed for adoption through Last Chance Dog Rescue.