“She is unrecognizable!”
A Lone Pup in Need
Last month, a concerned group of neighbors in Missouri noticed a small puppy with patchy, irritated skin wandering the streets alone. At first, they offered food and water, hoping her family would come for her. But as days passed and her condition worsened, they realized no one was coming to save her.

Unsure of what to do, they contacted Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL), who quickly responded to the call.
A Heartbreaking Discovery
When the SRSL team arrived, they found the mange-ridden puppy, later named Devonna, on someone’s property. As they carefully scooped her up, two more nearly hairless pups popped their heads up from an abandoned outdoor pool nearby.
โThey popped up like, โWAIT! What about us?โโ SRSL shared.

Unable to leave the other two behind, the team rescued all three, naming them Portia and Rowland. Devonna, however, was in the worst conditionโher skin was so inflamed that she struggled to rest during the ride to the shelter.
The Long Road to Recovery
At SRSLโs clinic, veterinarians diagnosed all three pups with demodex mange, a non-contagious skin condition. Sadly, Devonnaโs case was the most advanced, meaning she faced a longer healing journey.
โShe kept drifting off to sleep but would never let herself get comfortable,โ the team wrote. โBut we knew today was the first day of the rest of her life.โ
After a week of medicated baths and round-the-clock care, Devonna was finally well enough to move into a medical foster homeโa quiet, loving environment where she could continue healing.
An Unbelievable Transformation
On February 16, Devonna met her foster mom and began the next phase of her recovery. With love, patience, and consistent treatment, the team hoped her fur would grow back beautifully, just like Portia’s and Rowlandโs.
A month later, Devonna returned to the SRSL clinic for a check-upโand stunned the staff with her transformation.

โShe is unrecognizable!โ they shared. โLook at her beautiful coloring! Her white toes, her brindle face โฆ those bright eyes! This is an emotional moment.โ
A Future Filled with Love

Now, just a little over a month since her rescue, Devonna is healthy, happy, and ready for adoption.

โShe would be successful in most homes, as she is so kind and gentle,โ said Natalie Thomson, SRSLโs chief communications officer. โShe loves other animals and all people.โ
Though Devonnaโs past is a mystery, her bright future is clear: soon, sheโll have the loving family she always deserved.