It was a hot August day when Ed Schmidt and Anthony Hall of Ameren Missouri, an energy company, found a timid black dog hiding in a tool shed on their site.
The workers couldn’t believe their eyes.
“[They] were shocked by how skinny he was!” Stray Rescue
of St. Louis wrote in a post. “They offered him their lunch and called us right away.”
Rescuers soon arrived and used treats to entice the pup out from the shed. Their hearts broke as they realized how sweet the pup truly was.
“The way this starving dog so gently took the sausages nearly put us in tears,” the rescue wrote.
Team members took the pup, later named Sparks, back to the rescue, where they began a re-feeding plan to help him heal.
“We have to feed them very small amounts – and slowly – so their bodies can get used to food and nourishment again,” the rescue wrote. “Feeding them too much too quick can make them very sick.”
By September, Sparks had gained 11 pounds and was thriving with his foster mom, Stephanie.
“He's getting stronger,” the rescue wrote in a Facebook post at the time. “Foster Mom Stephanie is doing such a good job. He was so emaciated then, and is still too skinny, but things are looking up and he's feeling so good. One day at a time.”
When October came, Sparks was 20 pounds heavier than when he was rescued, looking like a completely different dog. Rescuers reunited him with Schmidt and Hall, who marveled at his transformation.
“It was awesome for them to see him again,” the rescue wrote in a post.
Today, Sparks’ foster mom has become his forever mom. Though his recovery journey isn’t quite over, he has everything he needs to enjoy a safe and happy life, thanks to the rescuers who never gave up.
