fbpx

Matted Dog ‘Frozen To The Ground’ Is Unrecognizable After Losing 6 Pounds Of Fur

https://image3.affcoder.com/storage/images/1706342427qY3RFYaRQkQuHE0iC5uH.jpg

In the winter of 2018, Donna Lochmann and her rescue team witnessed a confusing and heartbreaking sight. As chief life saving officer with Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), Lochmann was combing the city’s streets in the middle of a snowstorm for needy animals when her search came to a sudden stop.

From her Jeep, Lochmann spotted a white van with a mysterious gray mound resting beneath it. The fluffy clump of fur moved slightly, and Lochmann instantly knew he was an animal in need. But she couldn’t tell exactly who he was at first.

“His hair was so long, you could barely tell which side was his face,” Lochmann told The Dodo. “You could kind of see his nose.”

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

Lochmann soon identified the pile of fur as a horribly matted dog. She assumed he was in pain, as his heavy clumps of hair inevitably pulled at his skin. But taking a closer look, she realized that this poor pup was soaking wet from the worsening snowstorm, and his mats were fusing to the concrete.

“His mats were frozen to the ground,” SRSL wrote on Facebook.

Lochmann crawled under the van without skipping a beat and slid a leash over the dog’s neck. She called out words of encouragement and comfort as she attempted to pull him out from underneath.

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

“He screamed …” SRSL wrote. “But with skill and patience, Donna got him safely into the warm Jeep.”

Lochmann wrapped the weak boy in a towel, then shuttled him to SRSL’s animal hospital.

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

When he arrived, the vets rushed to give him a thorough checkup, but his hair was blocking them from doing so.

“We had to get the hair off of him,” Lochmann said. “It’s a real process when it’s that knotted up, trying to get it off.”

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

The veterinary team slowly combed through the dog’s fur with electric clippers and carefully removed his mats. Before long, his icicle and leaf-covered fur fell to the ground, and the tiny gray pup, later named Pilgrim, was completely smooth again.

“He had to feel so much better getting all that hair off of him,” Lochmann said. “It might’ve been about six pounds of hair.”

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

While shaving Pilgrim, the vet team discovered an injury on his back legs, which X-rays later revealed to be a broken pelvis. The poor pup was a survivor for sure, and the SRSL team vowed to do everything possible to nurse him back to complete health.

Pilgrim underwent surgery for his fractures and made a full recovery within three weeks. With his mats gone and injuries healed, Pilgrim was ready to start his next chapter in foster care.

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

A loving couple, Taylor and Joe, soon took Pilgrim in as a foster dog. He quickly began to thrive at Taylor and Joe’s house as he fell absolutely in love with his new foster parents and furry siblings.

It wasn’t long before Taylor and Joe decided to change their minds about adopting Pilgrim out.

“Pilgrim fits in so perfectly with our family, so we decided to foster fail,” the couple told SRSL in a letter, later shared on Facebook. “He’s a very happy boy.”

Stray Rescue of St. Louis

It’s been over four years since Lochmann discovered Pilgrim, now called Oscar, frozen to the ground during a snowstorm. Although his rescue was nerve-wracking and heart-wrenching, SRSL is so happy to know just how much their efforts changed his life.

“He’s living [a] good, comfortable life and brings joy to his family every single day,” SRSL wrote in an update on Facebook. “[We] love this!”

To help dogs like Pilgrim get the care they need, you can donate to Stray Rescue of St. Louis here.

Related Posts

“Celebraciones que mueven la cola: ideas llamativas y emocionantes para la fiesta de cumpleaños de tu amigo peludo” Hulk

Tu compañero peludo ocupa un lugar especial en tu corazón y, como miembro querido de tu familia, merece una celebración de cumpleaños inolvidable. Enviar deseos de cumpleaños al perro. 1….

Read more

Celebrándome: ¡Abrazando mi quinto cumpleaños con amor propio y alegría!

¡Feliz quinto cumpleaños para mí! Enviar deseos de cumpleaños al perro. Aunque es posible que nadie más haya recordado o prolongado sus deseos, elijo ser mi propia fuente de alegría…

Read more

“Festejando mi cumpleaños: Abrazando las imperfecciones con la esperanza de sinceras bendiciones” Hulk

¡Que tengas un cumpleaños muy feliz! Que este día esté repleto de alegría, amor y cálidas bendiciones de parte de quienes más te quieren. Tu singularidad y tu individualidad son…

Read more

“Desolación en el Cumpleaños: La Tristeza de la Ausencia de Saludos” Hulk

¡Hola! Entiendo que puede ser desalentador no recibir tantos deseos de cumpleaños como esperabas, sobre todo si has estado esperando con ilusión. Pero recuerda, cada día trae consigo momentos especiales,…

Read more

Vínculo Inquebrantable en el Caos: Soldado Cuida de su Perro Herido en la Base Militar. Hulk

En medio del ajetreo y el bullicio de la base militar, entre el estruendo del metal y los gritos de órdenes, hay un rincón tranquilo donde un soldado cuida a…

Read more

Celebrando el extraordinario viaje de un canino: prosperando más allá de las expectativas a pesar de las patas delanteras deformadas.

**Divulgación: esta publicación tiene enlaces de afiliados. Hoy, honramos el cumpleaños de un perro cuya increíble resistencia y adaptabilidad han tocado los corazones de muchos: un canino que nació con…

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *