Every once in a while there is an animal rescue story that takes my breath away. Oliviero’s is one of those stories.
Please note that this story includes some graphic images that may be disturbing to some readers.
Two women were walking in Messina, southern Italy, when they tripped over a garbage bag lying in a dry river. They heard groans coming from the bag and went to investigate. What they found shocked and horrified them.
The dog had been tied with electrical wire, placed in a garbage bag, and then dumped along the Terme Vigliatore River. To add to the horror of the scene, a dead calf lay rotting nearby.
Emergency services were called and animal rescue volunteer Linda Li arrived. She noticed that the young dog was in serious condition. His body was covered with hundreds of ticks and fly larvae and he was in shock and dehydration.
“They were eating [him] alive,” Linda said of the insects. His rescuers gave him water and then immediately loaded him into a car and rushed him to a vet.
Here’s a video of when it was first found:
Oliviero was so grateful to be rescued that he wagged his tail whenever he received attention. Veterinarians who examined Oliviero determined that he was paralyzed in his hind legs due to an unknown trauma.
Here’s another video of Oliviero resting and enjoying some attention while he recovers.
It’s been a year since his rescue and Oliveira has found a loving home with Dominique Mastroianni.
She is loving her new life. Oliveira has some dog brothers to play with and loves to cuddle her new mom and dad.
Looking at him now, it’s hard to believe he was so close to death.
Oliveira has come a long way. He really had a strong will to live.
He has a wonderful new family that he appreciates with all his heart!
Share Oliveira’s incredible rescue with your family and friends!