“He needed a chance and was begging for it.”
Starving, nearly hairless and terrified of people, Toto was running out of time. Then one rescuer refused to give up on him.
FOUND AND FORGOTTEN
Last December, as families in Donna, Texas, prepared for the holidays, a lonely dog named Toto wandered through empty homes in search of food.
No one in the neighborhood recognized the skinny, fearful pup, leading residents to suspect he’d been abandoned in a nearby vacant lot. One neighbor snapped a photo and posted it on Facebook, where it caught the attention of rescuer and foster Doly Lydia Cabrera Mayer.
Mayer was heartbroken. Toto was starving and nearly hairless, his fragile body reflecting a life of hardship.
“It was dreadful to think that he would have had no chance of survival if he wasn’t rescued quickly, and nobody wanted him because he had been reported as aggressive,” Mayer told The Dodo. “He needed a chance and was begging for it.”
A DEEP DISTRUST
Determined to help, Mayer was able to safely trap him. But when she approached Toto, she saw just how deeply his past had affected him — years of mistreatment had left him distrustful of people.
“His reaction to humans was one of extreme distress, as evidenced by his shaking, attempts to escape and biting at the crate,” Mayer said. “Too fearful to comprehend the impending change in his life.”
Instead of being scared off, Toto’s reaction made Mayer want to fight all the more for him.
THE ROAD TO RECOVERY
First, the vets began to show Toto that touch can be gentle and loving. He was then hospitalized and given fluids, testing and intravenous medication. Suffering from sarcoptic mange, heartworm and malnutrition, his condition was extremely critical.
After five days in the hospital, Toto was finally ready to begin his healing journey in earnest.
“We took him home and gave him a calm, quiet space,” Mayer said, “with plenty of food and water and a plush bed waiting for him.”
They knew his recovery would be long and arduous. But in just four short months, Toto has changed inside and out.
A NEW DOG
Toto’s no longer in pain, and his fluffy coat has started to grow in. He’s learning how to live in a home, and most importantly, how to trust.
“Toto has undergone a remarkable transformation from being invisible to becoming a beautiful, fluffy dog,” Mayer said. “His weight has tripled, and he is completing his treatment protocol. While trust issues persist, Toto is becoming increasingly receptive to physical contact and is learning to walk on a leash.”
WHAT COMES NEXT
Toto will continue in foster care until he is completely recovered — and then he’ll be ready to start his search for a forever family.
He’s come so far, and had to fight so long, that letting his guard down isn’t easy. But in time, he’ll learn that being a dog can mean days full of naps in the sun, gentle pets and full food bowls.