A Close Call in the Northern Coast of Taiwan
Yesterday, on a hot and humid afternoon, we faced a heart-wrenching situation: A young, male stray dog, alarmingly thin, was discovered with a large plastic jar stuck on his head. He had been in this dire condition for almost a week. We learned about him through a kind passerby who spotted him near a residential community, merely a 15-minute drive from our office.
Upon hearing the news, our team sprang into action. Guided by the community’s helpful guard, we started our search for the dog. Despite the guard’s warnings about the dog’s elusive nature, our rescuer remained undeterred. He quietly scoured the area, utilizing both his expertise and our thermal-imaging search-and-rescue drone. Unfortunately, the dog was nowhere in sight, but we knew he would be back, as he is known to come and go throughout the day.
Ladies, Cats, and a Ray of Hope
Our breakthrough came in the form of two kind ladies who regularly feed stray cats behind the guardhouse where the stray is often seen. They told our rescuer about the dog’s daily attempts to get to the cat food, which he was, sadly, unable to eat due to the jar. They also revealed that the cats were fed inside a fenced area with a gate. Spotting an opportunity, our rescuer placed a humane trap inside the enclosure and baited it with a delectable cat treat provided by one of the kind ladies.
In No Time at All
We also decided to make use of the fenced feeding area, which could also trap the dog should he not want to enter our humane trap. As soon as he entered, we could pull the gate shut, trapping him inside. So our rescuer drove off to get some rope, but before he could even arrive at the shop, the ladies called with thrilling news: the dog had returned, ventured into the trap, and was promptly caught! He was overjoyed when he arrived back at the feeding station but also saddened on seeing the condition he was in. The starved dog, now named Pickle, was incredibly thin, weak, and dehydrated. The first and most important step was to get that jar off the poor dog’s head. After a few attempts, he successfully removed the jar from an uncooperative Pickle and swiftly drove him to one of our trusted vets in Taipei.
At the Vet: An Immediate Intervention
Upon arrival, Pickle was promptly given IV fluids and a thorough examination to identify any other potential issues. The last we heard from the vet was that nervous Pickle was proving very difficult to handle and they would need to sedate him before they could bathe and examine him and hopefully neuter the young dog and tend to the small friction wounds on his neck.
Your Kindness Can Make a Difference
While awaiting further updates, we are reminded of the importance of our mission to transform the lives of suffering stray and wild animals in Taiwan. Dogs like Pickle need our help, and they rely on the kindness of people like you to make a difference. Please consider donating today in Pickle’s name using the secure form below. You can quickly and easily make your gift using debit card, credit card, PayPal, Venmo, Google Pay, or Apple Pay. Your donation—be it big or small, one-off or recurring—will truly make a difference to suffering Taiwan strays like Pickle.
Coming Soon: More News about Pickle
We will continue to share news right here on Pickle’s progress. He’ll almost certainly need a few weeks to recover from his ordeal, but we hope that his story inspires kind people to help other animals in their time of direst need. Follow us to stay updated on Pickle’s progress and join us in cheering him on on his road to recovery.
