Spirit, a young pit bull cross, suffered extreme neglect in the beginning of her life. Found by Ghetto Rescue FFoundation (GRFF) in Los Angeles on December 31st, 2015, Spirit was a stray enduring deplorable conditions. Her body was nothing but skin and bones, and her fur was saturated with dirt, ticks, and fleas. Volunteers of the GRFF weren’t sure if Spirit could be saved, as she was too weak to even stand.
The call notifying authorities of Spirit’s conditions was originally received by the LAPD, who immediately notified GRFF of her location. Fortunately, the rescue was able to take Spirit in immediately, saving her from impending euthanasia.
Within 10 days of intense care, GRFF started to see some improvement. Spirit was able to stand up on her own, and attempted walking. The volunteers quickly realized that she was potty trained, indicating that Spirit may have had a previous owner. The volunteers spent hours cleaning Spirit’s body, removing the ticks and fleas that had been living off of her skin. They called her “Spirit Golden Heart” for the heart shaped patch on her white fur.
Though not all days were good, Spirit began to heal in the care of GRFF. She was slowly gaining weight to her frail figure, and a hopeful light overtook her face.
She accepted the treatment and affection from veterinarians and volunteers, and quickly became a GRFF favourite!
Once Spirit was healthy enough to leave intensive care at the veterinarian, she was placed in a foster home with a loving woman.
Spirit’s foster mom can be described as a rock star! Throughout Spirit’s journey, her foster mom has supported her every step of the way. She has been documenting Spirit’s progress, and has even taken Spirit for a few day trips to local pet shops.
Spirit has been thriving in her foster mom’s care, where she spends the majority of her days lounging around the house, and snuggling with her family and friends. She has been steadily gaining weight, and is now 15lbs heavier than when she was originally rescued.
Spirit is improving daily in her foster mom’s care!
Recently, her foster mom had planned to go away on vacation, while Spirit would remain in the capable hands of a sitter. However, shortly before she was scheduled to leave, Spirit came down with a cold.
Without hesitation, her foster mom cancelled her trip, and stayed home to nurse Spirit back to health!
Spirit’s foster mom is a true doggy hero, and couldn’t imagine enjoying her vacation while Spirit sat at home with a cold. With the love and care that Spirit’s foster mom has shared, Spirit has learned the true life of a dog.
Spirit will continue to thrive in her foster mom’s care until she is healthy enough to start her search for her own furrever home.
You can learn more about Spirit or follow her journey on Facebook!
Spirit’s incredible journey to health would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of GRFF and the LAPD. If you would like to help Spirit, and other dogs like Spirit, please donate.
A special thank you to the Ghetto Rescue FFoundation, the LAPD, foster parents, and volunteers for making a difference in the lives of Los Angeles’ homeless pets. Stay tuned for our feature on Ghetto Rescue FFoundation!
1. GRFF Facebook 2. GRFF Spirit’s Story 3. GRFF Facebook Spirit’s Story
