Ngay khi LaChrystal Ricke đặt mắt vào bức ảnh một đang ngủ trên chiếc ghế bành bẩn thỉu bên ngoài, cô cảm thấy một sự thôi thúc ngay lập tức để giải cứu anh ta. Không do dự, cô quyết định tự mình đi lấy.
Theo Ricke, người sáng lập và giám đốc của Reggie’s Friends, một nhóm cứu hộ động vật ở Houston, Texas, ông đã tìm thấy gầy gò ở một khu vực kém lý tưởng của thị trấn. Sau khi nhìn thấy một bài đăng về được phát hiện tại một trạm xăng, anh quyết định giải cứu vì anh cảm thấy rằng nó không an toàn cho ở đó.
Sau khi mặt trời lặn, Ricke đến trạm xăng với hy vọng tìm thấy Aniken, chú chó mà cô đã giải cứu. Trước sự thất vọng của cô, cô không thể tìm thấy anh ta và quyết định tìm kiếm sự trợ giúp từ Facebook. Trong một bài đăng, cô yêu cầu các thành viên trong nhóm tham gia tìm kiếm vì cô không thể theo dõi Aniken. Ricke đề cập đến việc để chú chó một mình qua đêm, cho rằng anh ta đã tìm thấy một nơi an toàn để nghỉ ngơi. Ngày hôm sau, hai tình nguyện viên trở lại cùng khu vực để giúp xác định vị trí mất tích.
Theo Ricke, họ bắt đầu tìm kiếm Aniken bằng cách hỏi xung quanh và gõ cửa, nhưng thật không may, không ai nhìn thấy anh ta. Tuy nhiên, một đường phố tên là Tessa đã thu hút sự chú ý của họ và dẫn họ đến một túp lều nhỏ ở phía sau khu vực nơi mọi người đã đổ nhiều loại rác khác nhau. Trước sự ngạc nhiên của họ, Aniken được tìm thấy nằm trên một chiếc ghế được chụp trong các bức ảnh. Ricke sau đó đưa cả Aniken và Tessa trở lại trạm xăng, ban đầu cho rằng Aniken chỉ là một đường phố gầy gò và thiếu ăn. Tuy nhiên, khi họ đào sâu hơn, họ nhận ra rằng tình hình nghiêm trọng hơn nhiều so với họ dự đoán.
Upon our arrival at home, our furry companion began to emerge from his crate, and we noticed some significant infected wounds that were oozing and clearly had not yet healed. My partner and I immediately recognized the gravity of the situation and decided to take him straight to the emergency veterinarian for treatment.
Aniken was struggling with more than just infected wounds, as he also had huge ticks all over his body and was suffering from chronic malnutrition which had affected his organs. The team of veterinarians at BluePearl Emergency Pet Hospital were alarmed by another issue that they had noticed. According to Ricke, one of the vets had told her that Aniken’s condition was severe and one of the worst cases they had ever seen. They strongly suspected that Aniken might have been used as a bait dog. A bait dog is an animal that is used as a target for fighting dogs in training. The bait dog is encouraged to fight back while being attacked by fighting dogs. Initially, Ricke was skeptical about this theory.
When she first saw the dog, she didn’t immediately consider him a bait dog. She avoids using the term too often because she thinks many people misuse it when describing an abused dog. At first glance, she thought the scratches on his face were from living on the streets. However, when they showed her the inside of his mouth, she realized he was a bait dog. All of his teeth had been removed and his canines had been filed down, indicating that he was unable to fight back.
Ricke had a moment of realization when she noticed additional indications that Aniken had been used as a bait dog. She observed that his wounds were weeping and had been crudely sewn up, implying that someone had done it manually. When she added up all the scars on his face, everything began to fall into place, and she arrived at a terrible conclusion – Aniken was a bait dog, and his life had been one of abject misery. The purpose was to ensure that he didn’t survive, which is a terrifying thought.
When Aniken had to spend some time at the emergency vet, a kind nurse went out of her way to make him feel better by gifting him a plush elephant toy. The staff at BluePearl deeply cared for Aniken’s condition and well-being, and the critical care nurse felt that he deserved some love and comfort. Even though Aniken was initially unsure about his new toy, he eventually grew fond of it and cherished it during his stay.
According to Ricke, it was most likely Aniken’s first blanket, and it provided him with much-needed comfort. The kind gesture of the stranger who brought it was truly remarkable. With his condition stabilized, Aniken was sent to a primary vet for further treatment before being placed in a foster home where he will recuperate until he is entirely healed.
According to Ricke, he is a reserved person and it will require some time for him to open up and realize that there are individuals who deeply care and love him. Furthermore, he needs to understand that no one intends to harm him, and he can always count on having access to food, blankets, sweaters, and stuffies. Ricke believes that the abuse this individual has suffered is extensive, impacting his emotional, physical, and mental well-being. However, he feels fortunate that they have crossed paths and can assist him in overcoming these challenges.
According to Ricke, Aniken’s condition is getting better, particularly since he’s been placed in a foster home. He’s gradually putting on weight and enjoying his current living situation, where he shares space with two other dogs and enjoys lounging on the couch with his foster parent.