Rescuing animals is often a thankless job. Volunteers see the worst of conditions day in and day out, yet they continue to work on their behalf. This is something Liz Haslam of Barnham, England, knows all about.
As the founder of the rescue Beds For Bullies, Liz has been known to go to great lengths to save bull terriers from unsafe environments. But nothing could’ve prepared her for a phone call she received about a neglected dog halfway around the world.
From an early age, Liz Haslam has had an undying love for animals — especially bull terriers. Over the years her love for them has a grown, but unfortunately so has the neglect and abuse done to them by others.
Recently, Liz had 15 English bull terriers staying with her, all with their own various injuries and issues. But one stood out from the pack and his name was Eric.
Liz learned about Eric when a friend contacted her explaining there was a dog in Gökova, Turkey, who was in serious need of help. Not only had he been abused by his owner, but it was believed that he was a fighting dog, too.
Even though dog fighting has been outlawed in Turkey for many years, it still commonly happens in underground circles. In such instances, it’s common for dog fighters to utilize bull terriers of a similar size to Eric.
Liz was willing to do anything she could to help Eric — no matter the cost. Of course, transporting him to England from Turkey would be expensive, so she held a fundraiser to try to raise the $3,000 for his flight and the medical attention he’d need upon arrival.
There were, however, some minor setbacks in bringing Eric to England. Though he was due to arrive in July, there were various holdups with immigration policies — causing his departure to be delayed for two whole months.
Luckily, Liz was nothing if not patient, and Eric finally arrived in England in September. Unfortunately, Eric looked to be in worse shape than Liz anticipated. Not only was he physically injured, he was nearly blind and had an abscess in his mouth!
Liz knew she’d have to bring him to her local veterinarian immediately. When she did, she realized the horrifying extent of his injuries. The reason for his abscess? Poor Eric had another dog’s tooth lodged in his gums.
Such an injury was all but a confirmation he’d been involved in illegal dog fighting back home in Turkey. The vet then took an X-ray to see if Eric sustained any internal injuries. But they never expected to find this.
The X-ray revealed a large number of gun pellets lodged inside Eric’s skull. In total, the veterinarian counted about 50 lead pellets that had landed just mere inches from his brain. It was a miracle that he was even alive.
“It is a wonder it didn’t kill him straight away or he didn’t die from septicemia from the filthy conditions he was living in,” Liz explained. “It breaks my heart… but I have to get on with looking after him.”
Sadly, there was nothing the vet could do to remove the pellets, as it would be far too dangerous. Eric was going to have to live with them in his head for good. They did, however, manage to remove the other dog’s tooth from his gums.
Unfortunately, Eric’s medical bills began to add up, exceeding the $3,000 Liz anticipated. All in all, his medical care totaled $5,000, and Liz turned to various supporters for help. After all, she’d do anything to help Eric survive, no matter the cost…
“All of my dogs have got issues and they are all rescue dogs,” Liz said in an interview. “I live for my dogs and do everything I can for them. To enable me to continue what I do, I need somebody to help me along the way with some funds.”
“All the money is spent on them and I don’t get a penny,” Liz explained. “I’m happy for people to donate to the vets directly so they can be sure where the money is going.” So, did all her hard work pay off?
It did! Liz miraculously raised enough money to pay for Eric’s medical bills. She was ecstatic, though all she could do was reflect on his past. “His life in Turkey must have been truly horrific, I try not to think about it,” she said. “He must have taken the full blast by the way the pellets have hit his face.”
It was a miracle the veterinarian could treat Eric’s wounds at all, and for that, Liz was incredibly thankful. “Thank you as always for the fabulous care my Eric got today. You’re all so kind. What a shock to discover 50 lead shots in his head, but you guys, as always, dealt with it with such compassion and kindness,” she later wrote on Facebook.
Liz was so inspired by Eric that she nominated him for the Rescue Animal of the Year Award, which was an award that goes to animals who overcome extreme adversity and achieve something incredible. It was something she knew he’d done tenfold.
Liz knew how important it was that others heard Eric’s story, too. He survived despicable and unimaginable cruelty, but he still managed to settle into domestic life as she continued to foster him.
It’s hard to accept that such a sweet dog could experience so much cruelty, but unfortunately, it happens more often than not. During a motorcycle ride, this father-son duo discovered a heartbreaking sight on the side of the road and had to stop.
Bret Winingar and his son, Zach, often went on outdoor adventures together. Still, Bret—a self-described lover of “mildly extreme sports”—could never have predicted for the adrenaline rush they’d experience during one fateful ride.
On a seemingly ordinary day, the pair were enjoying a pleasant ride in Little Rock, Arkansas, when they spotted a strange object on the side of the highway. It looked worn and dirty, but Bret could tell even from a distance what it was: a pet crate.
Most people would just drive by without a second glance, but the two men didn’t hesitate. They promptly pulled over and realized that the crate had a giant hole in it. It seemed it’d been intensely chewed through by something that was desperately trying to get in—or out.
Knowing that any trapped animal could be dangerous, Bret and Zach approached cautiously. When they opened the door, they were stunned. Inside was a dog—and she was badly emaciated and hunched over from being locked in the cramped box for so long.
The men knew exactly what they needed to do. After speeding home on Bret’s motorcycle, they returned in their car with a giant bag of dog food—which the starving pup promptly devoured. This was only the beginning of their journey.
As soon as the dog hastily gobbled up as much of the food as she could, the father and son brought her into their car, where she would have more room to stretch out and be comfortable. Then, they headed home…
On the way back to their house, Bret and Zach decided to name the sweet pooch Charlie Bravo, or “CB” for short. Though she was clearly in bad shape, she was extremely lovable, even giving them kisses!
Once home with the rest of their family, Charlie Bravo received a much-needed bath. Her nails were so overgrown that they’d actually begun to grow back into her paws. Clearly, the pooch was neglected—and she needed medical attention, fast.
This kind of medical issue was severe and complicated enough that it could only be taken care of by professionals. Bret and Zach brought Charlie Bravo to the veterinarian as soon as they could. Thankfully, the veterinary team was happy to be able to help the sweet dog.
The veterinarian first carefully dressed the sores that had developed on poor Charlie Bravo’s paws. She estimated that the dog was about eight months old—she was just a puppy! Who would do this to such a young, loving dog?
Bret shared Charlie Bravo’s story online and it went viral. Then, the family started to receive a variety of donations from all over. Thanks to the generosity of their community, they were able to help pay for the dog’s growing medical bills.
But the donations didn’t stop coming. In fact, the family received so much support that they were able to pay it forward. After paying off Charlie Bravo’s veterinary bills, they donated the rest to various animal shelters in the Little Rock area.
It was impossible to tell just how long Charlie Bravo was kept in that crate, abandoned, starving, and without hope. The most important thing, though, was that she was finally in a safer, more loving place thanks to two good Samaritans…
After becoming so attached to Charlie Bravo, Bret couldn’t bring himself to give her up. She’d become a member of his family—and he decided to officially adopt her and make her a permanent, beloved fixture of his home!
Today, Charlie Bravo is a happy, healthy pup who enjoys nothing more than playing in the snow – not to mention all of the other perks that come from finally living with a loving forever family.
Bret and Zach weren’t the only ones who had a soft spot for Charlie Bravo. Everyone living in the house quickly warmed up to the little dog. Even the family’s other pets didn’t seem to mind sharing the spotlight with their new pal!
In fact, there was so much activity and energy in the house—especially since Charlie Bravo’s miraculous recovery—that Bret started to lovingly refer to it as the “Casa Del Whackos!”
The family had a grand total of four rescue animals in their home. They were considering starting their very own charitable foundation for other rescue animals who needed the kind of help that Charlie Bravo once did.
If their ambitious plan was a success, the family said they would call their new foundation “Charlie’s Angels.” Bret even set up a website for Charlie Bravo to allow people to donate to their efforts, too.
This family knew the importance of setting aside inconvenience when it came to saving the lives of animals in need. They also recognized that not everyone can afford that. Hopefully, their fundraising site will help inspire people to be good Samaritans, just like them!
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