An injured Michigan dog spent an entire night frozen to the ground in the subzero temperatures, but survived.
A Golden Retriever being called Feliz by his rescuers has survived a harrowing experience. On New Year’s Eve, he was hit by a car, suffered a broken leg, and then suffered in the cold for 24 hours.
A woman watched Feliz get hit by a car, and then make his way to her backyard. She didn’t do anything; rather, she watched him sit out in the cold for 24 hours, and then called 911 when she didn’t see the dog moving.
The emergency services contacted a local rescue, who went out to assess the situation.
The dog was almost dead when he was finally saved by Streethearts Animal Rescue. Organizer Bill Heatley arrived, but when he attempted to move Feliz, he discovered the dog was frozen solid to the ground.
As soon as Heatley could “peel the dog off the ice,” he rushed him immediately to the emergency veterinary clinic.
There, the vet initially suspected some major organ damage failure from the ordeal Feliz had suffered. Miraculously, that wasn’t an issue; Feliz’s thick coat kept him just safe enough to live.
Unfortunately, he had some significant bone damage. His femur (upper leg) was broken so far up that the vet cannot repair it.
The staff worked to stabilize Feliz and get him on some pain medication and got him comfortable while they decided how best to go about treating his fractures.
Feliz continues to receive treatment while Streethearts works hard to locate his home. Heatley suspects this is not a stray dog; he thinks this is someone’s dog, and wants to get Feliz home.
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At this time, the veterinary staff and rescue staff are simply working on taking care of the dog, administering pain medication, and making sure he’s relaxed and eating.
If they cannot find his owner, Streethearts will make sure Feliz gets a new (and warm) home.
In the meantime, he rescue organization continues to work hard to help more dogs suffering fates like that of Feliz.
With this year’s extreme cold snap has come numerous stories of animals being found frozen to death outside.
So please let Feliz’s ordeal serve as a reminder for some important things. If you see an animal suffering outside, please do not wait. Call someone right away – 911 is the best place to start. They will be able to quickly find the right people in your area to come help the animal.
And please, do not ever leave your animals outside in freezing temperatures. Contrary to some popular notions, their fur does not protect them from the bitter cold. Bring your pets inside. If you know of any pets being left outside, please try to do anything you can to either get them inside or make sure their enclosures are well insulated.
If you know of any animals suffering out in the cold, please contact your local animal shelter or police station. There are anti-tethering laws in effect in many regions.
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