In a determined search for a lost dog at an abandoned building in St. Louis, Missouri, Donna Lochmann from Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) discovered a heartwarming story of hope and recovery.
After a Good Samaritan reported sightings of a distressed dog, Lochmann, who serves as the chief life-saving officer at the shelter, initially came up empty on her first attempt to rescue the animal.
Recalling that first visit, Lochmann told The Dodo, “We searched every floor and never saw anything. There was not one dog, nothing.”
Despite this, persistent calls about barking from inside the premises and falling temperatures prompted Lochmann to try again. Her efforts paid off.
During her second visit, Lochmann spotted a dog lying in the grass around the back of the building. As Lochmann approached, the dog darted into the abandoned structure, disappearing into one of the many vacant apartments.
Unable to coax the dog out on her own, Lochmann left and returned the next day with colleagues from the shelter.
As they combed through the building, the team heard a bark echoing within the dilapidated walls. Lochmann recounted, “There was a poor dog just lying in the rubble of this building.
She was absolutely trembling, her legs were shaking so hard.” She realized that the dog’s fear, rather than the cold, was causing it to shake.
Lochmann’s solution was a gentle one: rather than attempting to leash the frightened dog out, she carefully guided the canine into a plastic crate, securing its safe exit from the risky environment.
“Once she was in the crate, she was calm,” she explained. With care, the team transported her to the shelter in Lochmann’s Jeep.
Back at the shelter, the dog, named Habanero, received a thorough medical examination and was found to be in good health, although still nervous initially.
“She was still pretty scared at first,” Lochmann remarked, but thankfully, Habanero’s apprehension dissolved quickly. Within days, the trembling and growling subsided, and the dog began to relax.
Habanero has since been adjusting to life at the shelter, bonding with Lochmann and the team as they go on walks and spend time together. With newfound confidence, Lochmann now feels Habanero is ready to transition into a foster home.
“Once she gets into a home, she’s gonna have a bit of adjustment to do,” Lochmann commented, “But she’ll do great. I’m just glad she’s not trembling anymore.”
It’s a change for the 7-year-old dog, but with each day, Habanero moves closer to finding a forever home where she can thrive.
