When Stray Rescue of St. Louis, Missouri got a call that a solitary dog had been spotted in an abandoned building, Donna Lochmann — the head life-saving officer for the organization — immediately drove to the location. But it took her another day and a team of helpers, to locate the shivering mutt who had retired to one of the vacant interior apartments.
“We searched every floor and never saw anything. There was not one dog, nothing.” Regarding day one. On her second return attempt, however, she heard barking. “When I got to the backside of the building, I saw a dog lying in the grass. I saw her run towards the back of the building and she went in, so I followed her.”
“I got over there… a poor dog just lying in the rubble of this building. She was absolutely trembling, her legs were shaking so hard, “ a reaction that — upon further inspection — the rescuer attributed to anxiety rather than lack of warmth.
“I felt so bad for her. It’s been a while since I’ve seen one shaking that hard, and it’s just gut-wrenching to see them so scared of you.”
Here is a video of the rescue that you may watch:
Since the pup had the shakes, Lochmann had to utilize a leash to get her into a crate (calm, once safely enclosed), then to a vet and to the shelter.
Because of her amber coat, the seven-year-old rescue was named “Habanero,” after the spicy orange pepper. She’s spending her days taking strolls around the neighborhood and cuddling with her rescuer, who is currently prepping her for placement with a family.
“Once she gets into a home, she’s gonna have a bit of adjustment to do,” Lochmann said. “But she’ll do great. I’m just glad she’s not trembling anymore.”
