For days, a tiny puppy lay abandoned in a ditch, wondering why the world had turned its back on her. She was scared, hungry, and in pain, with each passing moment bringing her closer to losing hope.
"Why did you get me if you didn’t want to love me? Why am I here, alone and hurting?" she might have thought, overwhelmed by unanswered questions. Questions she would never get an answer to—but soon, none of that would matter.
On the brink of despair, the puppy decided to trust one last time. Hearing a human voice nearby, she crawled out of the ditch, desperately hoping for kindness. And this time, her trust was rewarded.
Margaret Hamilton, the founder of “Ruby and Laurel Animal Rescue, Inc.” in North Carolina, was walking along the road that day when she spotted a tiny white head poking out from the ditch. Stopping in her tracks, she couldn’t believe what she saw.
As Margaret crouched down to get a closer look, the foul smell of mange hit her. The poor puppy’s skin was raw, sunburned, and covered in painful sores. She needed help—fast.
Despite everything she had been through, the puppy belly-crawled toward Margaret, dragging her fragile body across the ground, still willing to trust after all the cruelty she had faced. When Margaret scooped her up, the little pup melted into her arms, offering affection even as she shivered from exhaustion and fear.
“This baby has seen the worst of humans, but still found the courage to crawl out of the ditch and into my arms,” Margaret shared on TikTok. “She’s going in tomorrow for medical treatment and vaccines.”
That night, Margaret took the puppy home, trimming her overgrown nails and giving her a medicated bath. The poor girl’s skin was bright red from sunburn, on top of the severe mange that had ravaged her tiny body. But despite her pain, she seemed to understand that she was finally safe.
The next morning, Margaret brought the puppy—now named Slurpee—to the vet. While she was only about three years old, Slurpee was so small and frail that she looked like a puppy. It was clear she had endured a rough life, likely filled with neglect and suffering. Thankfully, she tested negative for heartworm, though she needed treatment for mange and ringworm.
In just two days after her rescue, Slurpee’s transformation began. Her playful personality started to shine through, and she became the happiest little dog, wagging her tail and showing joy in the simple comforts of love and care. She had found her way from the ditch into the arms of someone who would never turn their back on her again.
As Slurpee continues to recover, her future looks bright. In a few weeks, she will be healthy enough to leave behind the painful memories of her past. Better days are ahead for this sweet, resilient girl.
If you’d like to help Slurpee and the incredible rescue that saved her, consider donating to their GoFundMe page. Every bit of support goes a long way toward giving dogs like Slurpee the second chance they deserve.
