While responding to a late-night call earlier this week, an animal control officer in Willow Springs, Illinois, heard a noise that suddenly made them change course. The Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control officer followed the tiny barks
to a wooded park entrance, where they found a discarded Bud Light box that appeared to be moving.
As the officer shone their flashlight on the box, they were shocked to see a little brown nose poking out of the opening.
To the officer’s surprise, a tiny, wire-haired dog was trapped inside the box, trembling while continuously barking. She was defensive at first, still reeling from having been abandoned in such a confined space. But thankfully, her finder refused to leave her on her own in such a dangerous location.
“[It was] in the woods, near a very dark road, where the coyotes hunt,” The Abandoned of Cook County wrote on Facebook.
The officer quickly scooped up the dog, later named Suzie, and drove her to South Suburban Humane Society (SSHS) for help. At the shelter, Suzie received a thorough checkup, where the team discovered a severe pest problem despite her flea collar.
“Suzie was COVERED in fleas,” a SSHS representative told The Dodo. “Because of that, she is dealing with skin issues and hair loss.”
Suzie was uncomfortable all over, but a soothing bath and thorough combing soon brought her some relief. And after a full night’s sleep in her new kennel, the sweet girl’s next day was even better.
It’s now been nearly a week since Suzie’s rescue, and she’s still a bit fearful from the whole ordeal. But her team of caregivers is determined to make her feel loved, especially after realizing just how old she is.
“We estimate this beautiful girl to be around 8 years old!” SSHS said. “She's scared, but she's doing well, and we cannot wait to see her transformation!”
You can see more images of Suzie’s rescue here:
After a few days of care, Suzie’s finally well enough to go into foster care. She’s since landed an amazing foster home and is looking forward to resting and recovering with her caregivers for a while.
No one at SSHS knows just why Suzie was abandoned or what led her previous family to drop her in the woods at night and drive away. But they hope to find the sweet, resilient girl a forever home someday soon, where she can live each day to the fullest and never have to worry about being stranded in a Bud Light box again.
