It takes a village to save a puppy and Lily’s exhibit A!
At only three months of age, this teeny pup’s life was everything but easy. She was no more than ten pounds and had already suffered so much.
All four of Lily’s limbs were deformed, which caused her disability. As a shelter dog, this only meant one thing: potentially overlooked and headed for an uncertain future.
But, Lily wasn’t alone. Little did she know that the entire community was rooting for her – and that her life was about to change forever!
Taking The Most Important Steps
When Rita Earl Blackwell, a photographer and animal shelter volunteer, first locked eyes with Lily at Lancaster Animal Care Center in Los Angeles, California, she was heartbroken.
She knew this little pup would have a difficult life without special care, so she decided to do something about it. Rita shared the photo of Lily in an Instagram post, saying: “Baby girl, 3months old, 10lbs. All 4 legs are deformed. She’s so sweet.”
In days, her inbox and a comment section were flooded with responses.
Eventually, the Nevada-based rescue, Scoot to the Stars, offered to admit Lily to their shelter. As a foster-based rescue dedicated to helping special-needs animals, Rita couldn’t have asked for a better solution!
The rescue, together with Rita and a group of kind-hearted volunteers, arranged Lily’s flight and safely transported her to Nevada. The rest, as they say, is history!
In just a few short days, this sweet, resilient puppy took everyone by surprise. Not only was she a fighter, but she literally refused to sit still and do nothing.
Lily crawled, jumped, and asked for cuddles from her caregivers, which is why she was ultimately surprised with the cutest splints to keep her limbs from hurting. As a result, Lily made her first “puppy steps” in the new shelter – and it was adorable!
Needless to say, her caregivers were overjoyed to see her actually walk.
“This little girl is so spirited and full of energy! Despite her deformities, she wants to run, jump, and play, so in the meantime, she has the cutest little splints to keep her from walking on the tops of her paws,” the rescue stated via their social media.
It didn’t take long for Lily’s video to make people all over the world sob. She was struggling to walk, and invested all her energy into it, and yet she looked hauntingly cute!
Lily’s Journey Is Just A Beginning
According to the rescue, Lily’s already doing so much better. She’s been started on a proper nutritious diet and regularly visits the orthopedic specialist. Over the next few checkups, the vet team will determine whether or not Lily is a surgery candidate.
One thing is for sure, though: this is just the beginning for Lily!
Her caregivers will continue to support her until a proper solution is found.
“Little Lily’s journey is just beginning… We are so grateful to everyone who has shared, donated, networked, and sent kind words,” the Nevada-based rescue concluded.
Until then, Lily will enjoy her new life with a foster, soaking up the beauty in each day and taking on endless adventures.