There are moments that leave even the most experienced animal rescuers speechless and teary-eyed. When Rike arrived at the Tierhilfe Franken rescue centre in Germany, she was a mere shadow of her former self.
Emaciated, weak, and wracked with pain, the 12-year-old dog dragged herself into the arms of her rescuers. She could barely walk, but her eyes and a faint wag of her tail showed that she hadn't given up hope.
A last-minute rescue
This friendly old dog had just escaped a nightmare that had lasted for years. Rike lived in a home where her owners suffered from alcoholism. For years, she was ignored, severely neglected, and simply left to her fate.
Rike is safe today thanks to the courageous intervention of a young woman. The owner's future daughter-in-law could no longer bear to see the patient little dog suffer.
It was only "with great effort" and a lot of persuasion that she finally managed to convince the owner to surrender the dog. For Rike, it was a rescue in the nick of time.
The initial veterinary examinations revealed the full extent of her suffering. Rike has severe dysplasia in both hips. Every single step must have been unimaginable torture for her for a long time.
She is currently receiving treatment to help her regain her strength, but an operation seems inevitable to relieve her pain.
A heart of gold
But what touches the team at the Tierhilfe Franken rescue centre the most is Rike's character. Despite years of hardship and suffering, she hasn't lost her trust in people.
"Rike is an incredibly gentle, friendly, and grateful dog," her carers enthuse. She soaks up every cuddle like a sponge and is very well-behaved in the car.
For her story to have a happy ending, only one thing is missing: a proper home. Rike is looking for people who will offer her love and security. The rescue centre is urgently looking for a place where she can live out her days with dignity, something this brave soul "has more than earned."
