Among the 2,000 dogs on a property in Harbin, China, a matted Husky stood out like a sore thumb. She sat frozen in the corner like a statue, and she was filthy and scared of everything. The woman who owns the property brings strays in to keep them safe and regularly allows Harbin Slaughterhouse Survivors Animal Rescue (Harbin SHS) to take in the dogs in need of the most help.
And the rescuers knew that dog was Harriet. Of all the dogs found as strays or rescued from trucks on the way to the slaughterhouse, this matted Husky was the obvious candidate.
When volunteers visited the property in May, they saw the Husky in the far back corner avoiding everyone and everything. They tried reaching out to her, but she didn’t even respond. The dog was obviously not doing well.
When they picked her up, they then saw the extent of the poor girl’s neglect. Her fur was matted with feces, she was thin and bony, and she was so little they thought maybe she was a miniature Husky.
Harriet suddenly seemed to know she was safe and settled in for the ride to the vet clinic. She didn’t make a peep the entire way. Rescuers thought Harriet was just a pup due to her size, but the vet estimated her to be about eight months old. She may have been so malnourished that it stunted her growth.
But Harriet checked out aside from the obvious and wasn’t suffering any major medical problems. The staff shaved off her tangled fur, gave her a bath, and got her settled in at the rescue center. She would stay there for about two months to heal and gain strength.
Harriet was cooperative and such a trooper through it all. She sat patiently as they shaved her fur and didn’t bark or growl once. Like many of the dogs who come through Harbin SHS, the Husky was sweet, friendly, and playful!
Harriet kept getting healthier as the weeks passed, and she started to overcome her shyness and fear. Now she was ready for the trip of a lifetime.
A woman from Canada named Rosee Vallee saw Harriet’s picture online and had to have her. So the dog flew with a volunteer into San Francisco where she’d meet her new mom for the very first time. 🙂
Rosee knew Harriet was the dog for her the moment she first laid eyes on her. The Husky looked so sad and she just wanted to make her happy.
“Since I have had her, we have went on road trips, we have flown together, she went to Lake Louise … She is my princess. She loves everyone she meets,” Rosee told The Dodo.
Harriet is now named Bailey, and she lives with three dog sisters in her forever home in Canada. In just a few months, Bailey made a transformation as great as any we’ve ever seen. And it’s all thanks to the volunteers and rescuers for their hard work and patience.
“I see her now and it just warms my heart,” Rachel Hinman, a U.S. volunteer for Harbin SHS said. “I think of all the people who came together to help her — they are the real heroes of this story. Every dog deserves a second chance, and Harriet is such a perfect example of that.”
h/t The Dodo
