Heartbreaking: Dog Had No Choice But To Wait In The Freezing Cold For Her Family For Days

Apr 25, 2019

Alexander Pope once said that history has more examples of the fidelity of dogs than friends. Indeed, dogs are renowned for their steadfast loyalty to their human families, even when we humans often don’t return the favor. Clara, a dog left to wait in the freezing cold for a family that would never return, is an example of just how heartbreaking this canine loyalty can be in the hands of unappreciative humans.

Local park goers began to worry when they noticed Clara all alone. It was freezing cold, and it quickly became obvious that she had been abandoned there without shelter, food, or water. In the greatest show of faith and loyalty, Clara would wait there five days on whomever abandoned her.

Residents called Speranza Animal Rescue founder Janine Guido in to help. Guido immediately took to the rescue group’s social media page to update all concerned that he’d approached Clara and successfully encouraged her to eat, but she fled when he tried to leash her.

Guido wrote about the heartbreak of seeing a dog with no choice but to helplessly wait for a family to return.

Clara disappeared for days because Guido inadvertently spooked her in his efforts to help her. She ended up being located on a local resident’s porch. She ran away again when Guido tried to intervene.

Eventually, Guido updated social media that Clara had been rescued and taken to a veterinarian to be checked. Aside from being underweight and covered in fleas, Clara was fine. She didn’t have a microchip, which would make locating her owner all but impossible.

Luckily, Clara’s story has a happy ending.

As soon as she was stable and healthy, she was put up for adoption to get a second change at a family to love her and value her loyalty. Happily, she has since found that forever home. Many others don’t get that happy ending after suffering abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment, though.

Animal abandonment is leaving any dog alone in any circumstance that could cause them harm, and it’s a serious criminal offense to abandon a dog in America. Yet, it continues to happen daily.

For both human and animal safety, you should know what to do if you notice an abandoned dog in a public place:

1. Cautiously approach the dog to see if you can coax him/her to allow you to touch. Keep a gentle and steady touch and tone of voice. Attempt to contain him/her with a leash, carrier, fenced yard, or other place of safety.
2. If aggressive, don’t risk injuring yourself and the dog. Call for the local animal rescue or police instead of attempting to capture.
3. Contact your local animal shelter if an abandoned dog is without an ID tag. They can determine if the animal has a microchip or not, and proceed to either locate an owner or place strays and abandoned dogs up for adoption. In the meantime, they can treat the dog for any ailments and provide safe shelter.

You can watch Carla's story in the video below:

Have you ever found an abandoned dog? Are you a family giving a second chance to an abandoned dog? We’d love to hear your stories in the comment section. If Clara’s story moved you, feel free to pass this along to raise awareness and support against animal abandonment.