This Dog Was Starving, But Thanks To Kindness He Is Now Recovering

15. A Sad Beginning

It was a cold January in New Jersey when rescuers found a sweet, emaciated puppy named Butterscotch lost on the streets. At the time, he was only 23 pounds and literally on the brink of death; however, a selfless act of kindness turned his life around and he is now on the road to a full recovery.

14. Butterscotch’s Plight

Butterscotch was a 10-month-old pit bull-shepherd-hound mix who arrived at the Liberty Humane Society on January 6th. When the Director of Operations, Kim Saunders evaluated his pitiful condition, she immediately reached out to the Animal Alliance for help with intensive treatment. Do you think Butterscotch will make it?

13. Medical Care Beyond Their Capabilities

Saunders stated, “Butterscotch needed urgent emergency veterinary care that was beyond the scope of what we could provide at our shelter. We know from working with Animal Alliance over the years that they would give him the very best care, to give him the best chance at survival.”

12. Emergency Surgery

It was determined that Butterscotch needed surgery immediately. He was quickly transported to the Crown Veterinary Specialists where it was calculated the poor pooch would need over $7,000 in procedures. He’d also need additional treatments over the course of ten days. Would this dog ever catch a break?

11. Malnourished from the Streets

Due to being a stray, Butterscotch ate whatever he could to get by. An x-ray went on to reveal that he had ingested many indigestible objects that were now trapped in his stomach and intestines. If Butterscotch was going to survive, he needed these items removed ASAP.

10. Preparing for Surgery

Unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy. Before any surgeries could be performed Dr. Wendy Ross had to make sure he was stable. This meant checking Butterscotch’s body temperature, blood sugar and electrolytes. According to Ross, he was one of the worst cases she had ever seen.

9. A Pitiful Case

Ross had this to say, “In the 20+ years that I have worked in animal welfare, I have never seen a dog as emaciated and malnourished as Butterscotch. He was in a dire situation and without the proper care he would have died.”

8. Donors Always Needed

In order to cover the cost of the surgeries, Animal Alliance reached out via social media to its donor base. They revealed that all of their donations went to cover the costs of further treatments and to help the next animal that was rescued in poor condition.

7. Strict Diet and Rest

After his surgery, Butterscotch was placed on a strict diet so his stomach and digestive tract could heal. Thankfully, a volunteer stepped up to be a foster home in Pennsylvania and he finally had a loving place where he could recover and put on some weight.

6. Slow and Steady Progress

In his first weeks after surgery, Butterscotch slowly began to heal. He began to eat 4-6 meals a day, and even gained 2 pounds! Unfortunately, he still had anemia and a cold, but all of that would go away with rest and some TLC.

5. Better Every Day

As time progressed, Butterscotch made leaps and bounds in his recovery. He went from 23 pounds to a healthy 48 pounds and is considered to be a super loving and playful boy. Now all he needed was to be adopted. Would anyone step up to the plate?

4. A Forever Home

One family did reach out to adopt Butterscotch and it seemed he would finally have the loving family he always wanted. Sadly, things don’t always go according to plan. You won’t believe what happens.

3. In Need of a Companion

Butterscotch’s time at his new home were less than ideal. The family cat went into hiding and refused to come out and poor Butterscotch missed having other dogs to play with. He would soon become very depressed and his new family had to make a heartbreaking decision.

2. Back to Foster Care

Knowing they weren’t the right fit, Butterscotch was returned to foster care. While it was a tough decision, it would be in Butterscotch’s best interest. It was determined that Butterscotch needed a home with another dog as a companion, and absolutely NO CATS!

1. Waiting for the Right Family

While Butterscotch is still waiting for his perfect family, it’s important that we focus on the positives. He was rescued from the brink of death, nurtured back to health, and is now a beautiful and playful boy! We hope he gets the family he’s been waiting for soon!