Shelter thought dog was scared — but something else was wrong. A heroic pup saved her
A shelter dog with a blood disease “almost didn’t make it” — then a heroic pup stepped in to help her.
Now, Arla is doing better and waits for a home of her own, a Florida animal shelter told McClatchy News in a Dec. 30 email.
“I’m a shy girl, especially with new people, and I’ll need some time and patience to learn to trust you,” the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Brevard said in an online adoption profile written from Arla’s perspective. “Once I do, I’m a loyal friend who will be forever grateful.”
Arla is up for adoption after she arrived at the shelter in September. The mixed-breed dog was transferred from another facility, where she was picked up as a “stray with infected wounds,” Shelby Montgomery, public relations and community engagement coordinator for the SPCA, said in a past email.
“When she came to our facility, her wounds had healed and she seemed like just a scared little girl,” the SPCA wrote Sept. 21 in a Facebook post. “However, after a few days with us it became apparent something else was going on. She became so weak that she would fall over.”
The shelter discovered she had Babesia gibsoni, a parasite that can cause anemia. While waiting for medication, the facility turned to Rhonda, another adoptable dog who donated blood for a “life-saving” transfusion.
Arla, now listed in “stable” condition, has tested negative for the blood disease. But she can’t live with other dogs in her next home since the disease can spread through wounds. Her new owners also will have to watch her since she may try to escape, the shelter said.
“I’ve been through so much, and I’m dreaming of a loving home where I can finally feel safe and cared for,” the SPCA post said.
Arla is a roughly 2-year-old pup who enjoys snuggling and playing. She’s also becoming less timid and no longer tucks her tail between her legs.
“Her tail wags again,” the shelter wrote Dec. 3 on Facebook. “But those wags are more than just signs of happiness, they’re proof of her resilience and determination to survive.”
As of Dec. 30, Arla was still available for adoption at the shelter in Titusville, a roughly 40-mile drive east from Orlando. Details about the facility’s adoption process can be found at spcabrevard.com.
This story was originally published December 30, 2024 at 11:59 AM with the headline "Shelter thought dog was scared — but something else was wrong. A heroic pup saved her."
