So often, I come across a story about a pup that leaves me completely heartbroken.
Day in and day out, our furry friends are mistreated by the same hoomans who are supposed to be their best friends and protectors.
They are not only forced to endure physical pain, but they also have to navigate the harsh street life, looking for shelter and some food just to survive the night.
Unfortunately, some animals aren’t even able to do that.
A Heartbreaking Story
Walking around San Bernardino, California, a group of animal rescuers were keeping an eye out of a furry friend in need of help. But they had no idea they would come across a case this bad.
Sitting in a box outside of the San Bernardino church was a little puppy completely covered in maggots and fleas. Not wasting a single second, the team immediately got the box into their car and rushed the pup to the vet.
The vets provided her with a full medical assessment and gave her some time to relax and decompress. In the meantime, a woman named Debbie Pearl, who already owned 10 disabled rescue dogs, heard about this heartbreaking story and decided to pay the pup a visit.
It came as no surprise that, when the two met, they immediately fell head-over-heels for each other.
After spending a couple of days at the vet, the pup was feeling much better and was even able to eat and drink all on her own. She was diagnosed with a neurological condition, for which Pearl believed she was dumped in the first place.
At this point, it was quite clear that Pearl was taking the pup, now named Gabby, home so that she could take proper care of her.
Start Of Something New
From the start, everybody knew that Gabby’s recovery journey wasn’t going to be easy.
“When she was dropped off at my house, she couldn’t walk and she was just wobbling all over the place. I brought her inside and all my dogs were very interested in her, so I set up a little playpen for Gabby. Later on, I took her outside, and all the dogs were outside on the porch, and when she looked up and saw them all around her, it just brought her to life,” Pearl said in an interview.
Being in this new environment, surrounded by so many adorable furry friends, Gabby felt at home. She immediately started to wag her tail and even gathered all of her strength to stand up and walk to another pup.
Pearl knew that seeing other dogs with disabilities served as a form of encouragement for her. It no longer made her feel like the odd one out. She was finally a part of a loving family where she could thrive.
“It’s like she knew she was in a place where everybody was just like her—they’re all perfectly imperfect. It was such a beautiful moment, and from there, she’s been great. Everybody was so gentle with her; they just all knew that there was something wrong, and she fit in perfectly,” she added.
After the medical team did some more tests on this sweet girl, they were able to determine that she had a cyst affecting her cerebellum, which causes her imbalance and mobility issues. But despite this birth defect, the vet is still hopeful that this sweet girl will still be able to lead a happy and healthy life.
And even though she does tend to fall over and lose her balance, Gabby will still get back on her paws, ready to take over the world.
“She has become one of The Unstoppable Dogs and she will change lives. She’s going to help give people hope that, no matter what has happened to you, you can live your best life,” Pearl said.
Ever since being taken in by Pearl, Gabby has been living her absolute best life.
She is surrounded by a loving mom and adorable siblings who are cheering her on every step of the way.
“These dogs are a true testament to never losing hope. They bring people to tears, but not sad tears—they’re happy tears. They’re the happiest dogs you could ever meet, and they’re just happy to be alive. They’re so joyful, and that’s a powerful thing for people to see,” she concluded.