The heroes at Hope For Paws have rescued many dogs in their day. But the Los Angeles-based animal rescue organization recently came across an animal in need that wasn’t exactly what they expected.
When Eldad and his team received a phone call from a concerned man, they could tell that the animal in question was in serious danger. But it was only when they got to her that they realized they were in for a truly special rescue mission.
The picture they received showed an animal that was “disoriented and clearly very sick.”
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But when they saw her in person, they realized that “Julia,” as they named her, was actually a wolf-dog hybrid.
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This was a first for the veteran animal rescue team.
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When they got closer to the frightened girl, they realized just how bad of a shape she was in.
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Julia was covered head-to-toe with infections.
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She had open wounds and was all skin and bones under her fur.
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Eldad Hagar, the founder of Hope For Paws, said the only visible sign of where she came from was a ratty rope still clinging to her neck.
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For Eldad, this was a sign that someone neglected poor Julia on a “criminal level.”
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Despite how hungry she was, Julia was very gentle when she was offered treats, showing her kind and sweet nature.
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She was very receptive to help, even though she was clearly frightened and exhausted.
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It was at the vet where the extent of Julia’s neglect was discovered.
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She had demodectic mange, which was leading to hair loss and scabbing.
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When they gave her her first bath, they discovered it was even worse than it appeared.
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Julia was very, very skinny, and when the water hit her, many of the scabs broke and she began to bleed.
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“Julia started bleeding from everywhere,” Eldad said. “As dirt and blood was coming down into the tub, Julia changed color from a grey and red to a black and yellow.”
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But it was during this ordeal that Julia showed she understood what was happening. After the bath, she nestled up to her rescuer’s arm and relaxed.
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At last, she was finally able to rest.
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And that’s just what she did.
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The next day, she was very affectionate toward her rescuers.
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“Julia is still not wagging her tail — she just shows her appreciation by rubbing her head on me.”
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She wasn’t out of the woods yet. The infection continued to take its toll on her, and she had to get around-the-clock care.
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In the meantime, the rescuers are planning to run a DNA test to learn more about what Julia really is.
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Regardless, she is finally getting the love she deserves.
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“Julia has special, calm, wise eyes,” Eldad continued. “I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s something so special.”
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It’s easy to see what he means. What a sweet girl!
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Just recently, Julia was able to spend time with other dogs. She’s clearly doing much better!
Facebook / Hope For Paws