When one of the outreach volunteers from a dog rescue organization called Sidewalk Specials noticed some children looking for kibble, she couldn’t help but ask who they were trying to feed. The children then led her to an abandoned dog in an extremely bad condition lying on the side of the road. Her heart broke at the sight of the poor dog.
Rescuing Eddie
The dog – later named Eddie – was completely emaciated and very fearful of human touch. Life was not easy for him, and he had suffered so much. “He’d lost a leg, so it was extremely difficult for him to walk. He was extremely weak. When he arrived [at the rescue], his eyes were just fear and emptiness,” Janice, Eddie’s foster mom, told The Dodo. The vet exam showed that Eddie was suffering from malnutrition, kidney issues, mange, and tick bite fever, which meant that it would take some time for his condition to improve. Eddie’s front teeth were completely worn down, possibly from eating gravel for so long. Judging by the state of him, he was probably on his own for a long time, but thankfully, he was given a chance at a better life.
Recovery and Transformation
Eddie went straight to a wonderful foster home with Janice and her husband, Rolf, who loved him very much. Two weeks after arriving at the foster home, Eddie wagged his tail for the first time, and his eyes started softening. It was such a big step for a little terrified dog such as Eddie. Step by step, day by day, Eddie’s condition started to improve, and he was slowly starting to trust humans again.
A New Lease on Life
One thing, though, completely changed that shocked even his foster parents. Three months after his rescue, Eddie was a much happier dog. He started running, and his coat color completely changed as he got well – it turned into a chocolate brown! “His happy place is in the bed I think he never had before. His second happy place is definitely the creek in the park. His ball is his security blanket. He’d never had a toy!” Janice said. It was so heartwarming to see him learn how to play. After everything he had been through and being let down by humans, Eddie was starting to forget what happened to him. A little bit of love can go such a long way.
A Bittersweet Ending
The rescue was hoping to find Eddie a forever home and even put out a beautiful video promoting his story. However, Eddie never lived long enough to find his forever family. Sadly, shortly afterward, Eddie suffered organ failure and had to be put down. “I think we can all agree that Eddie’s last three months, spent with his foster family, were the best thing that ever happened to him Respect to his foster family for giving Eddie the chance at happiness and prayers for your broken hearts,” Sidewalk Specials wrote in their post.
Eddie’s Legacy
Although Eddie did not live long after his rescue, he at least got to experience how it feels to really be loved by someone. His foster parents loved him very much, and he will forever remain one of those dogs that is buried a little deeper in their hearts.
