Yvette Holzbach regularly visits the streets of Houston, Texas to leave out food for stray dogs through her rescue Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project. That’s where she came across a street dog curled up with an old toy and took a picture.
Photo credit: Yvette Holzbach / Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project
“When I first saw this dog lying on this tattered and torn soft toy my first reaction was ‘oh how cute is that’,” she says on Facebook. “But then reality really sunk in once I started taking the picture. Here is a stray dog taking comfort in a worn out, discarded toy. How many of the dogs that we see are also thrown out on the street once they have served their purpose?”
“I took this picture a few months back. To be honest, today is the first time I have gone back to look at the picture. It was truly one of the saddest sights I have seen in the 5th Ward.”
Holzbach explains that she didn’t rescue the dog that day because they didn’t have the space or the fosters. Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project is a small rescue organization made up of volunteers and rely on foster homes to take in the dogs they find. “As one of the feeders we are always faced with the dilemma of deciding which dog to send out a plea of help for,” she writes. “This dog absolutely broke my heart but it a dog that was in relatively good shape and unfortunately, the sad truth is, a dog in this condition would be much harder to find a foster for than any others we find in worse shape. We can feed up to 50 dogs in one day. Out of those, we are lucky if we rescue just one because fosters are so hard to come by.”
After seeing the dog’s picture again, she knew she wanted to go back and look for him, even though he’s just one of thousands of dogs that she sees every year. Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project has been rescuing dogs for the last 4 years and has saved close to 1000 dogs off the streets. They go out every week to feed the strays and rescue as many as they can. “Some of the dogs we rescue are in such bad shape that we have no other option but to put them to sleep,” says Holzbach. “Our only comfort at times like that is the fact that the dog did not die alone on the street. Some days we can feed as many as 50 dogs.”
As for the dog in the heartbreaking photo, she hasn’t found him yet. But Holzbach and others from Forgotten Dogs are out looking for him. In the meantime, the rescue group asks that if you are interested in fostering this dog or others like him, please visit their website and apply to join them.
“It is the hardest thing in the world for us to leave dogs like his behind so please don’t judge us. We are a small group of volunteers who are just trying to do the very best we can with what we have,” Holzbach writes.
“This dog, without a doubt, depicts the plight of the dogs in our city,” says Holzbach on Forgotten Dogs Facebook page. “A solution needs to be found and the best way that any of you can begin to help is by fostering. We are in desperate need of dedicated fosters so we can get dogs like this off the street. No dog should have to live like this. If there is anyone that does not quite understand what we are faced with we welcome you to do a ride along with us. You will be astounded at how many homeless dogs there are.”
She adds that as dire as the situation is for stray dogs in Houston, fostering, without a doubt, saves lives!
Share this dog’s story and the work that Forgotten Dogs of the 5th Ward Project does with your friends and family.
Melody Lynn Hutchins
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So heartbreaking
Brenda Camden Staton
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This makes me want to cry so heartbreaking
Edie Tomascik
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This tears my heart apart seeing this
Deanna Hare
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Oh poor baby. Needs a good home.
Elaine Miller
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Sad
Rena Dunkley
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I’m done with this group…not much about pugs at all. Just sad stories of abused dogs and unrelated stories. I am deleting !!
Teresa Wills
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Sharing with my tears!
Bia Dziloski
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So Sad.
Christine Green
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We don’t do anything when it’s a veteran laying on the ground either or a family
Edie Tomascik
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How heartless
Nan Boardman
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Why do people do this
Chris Murillo
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This picture just tears my heart apart
Anne Schnake
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I want him but this is old
Tammy Lepore
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I agree!!!
Donna Reed
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All I can see in this photo is a dog with big testicals ….and a toy lover.
Donna Denvers
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Where is this dog i will bring him or her in. Please tell us.
J'Adore les Chiens
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(y)
Anna Gartin
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So sad. It seems some states have a huge problem with dogs on the streets Florida and Texas and I think California is another. Just heartbreaking.
Elizabeth Dwayne Bush
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Wonder if the person who took the picture helped? See something? Do something!!!
Debbie Jones Davis
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Thank god, I was wondering if they would find him, broke my heart.
Linda Workman Curtis
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So many disposable animals.. so sad..
Pugs Mansion
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Hello there, just wanted to tell you, I really enjoyed your content !Who else feels this material is nice ?
Linda Marshall
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Hope you find him! Good looking dog 🙂
Rosemary Davis
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This rips my heart right out of my chest
Mip Miri
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Yet in China they eat them. Worlds apart. Poor pup.
Heather Deslauriers
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Poor pup and it so sweet looking hope they find the poor pup and get it a good home
Vicki Fleury
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You sound like a pessimist, what’s your plan to helpful? Any dog or human without a home is sad…
Carolyn Scott
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OMG! Thanks to the ignorance of PEOPLE again. These poor creatures whether dogs or cats are just dumped like garbage. I try and buy the nice stuffed toys from Value Village and Thrift Shops, they have good prices and then take to different Animal Rescue groups for the dogs in there facilities. All these innocent animals need a loving home they know is there own <3
Yesenia Sierra Vargas
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So sweet. Lil angel.
Mary Myrick Langtange
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Poor baby,god bless him,
Sally Knoles
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SAD
Rebecca Rabalais
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My heart brakes for every animal like this, without a loving family and a home.
Rebecca Rabalais
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Pray that this broken hearted dog is found and rescued
Brody Cooper
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Little buddy you’re killing me where are you??????
Billy Morgan
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No dog should be without a home.
Sharon LeSage
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This is so sad. Did you find the dog? I hope so.
Jillian Harris
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If you’re going to start something for heaven sake fundraise. There is always room to grow. Your small company can Grow!! You should have picked up this dog. What is the point of taking a photo without doing action. You could have taken this poor baby into your house. I applaud their group for going out and feeding the strays but more needs to be done. This is absolutely heart breaking. There’s no way I could have walked away from that baby.
Pat Veazey
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Poor, poor dog. How awful that his owners left him. Glad someone rescued him.
Kristyl Adams
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That’s ONE DOG and he’s probably produced 200 babies by now!!! Neuter and release!
Loulou Perreault
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so sad that so many dogs don t have a loving and forever home . Dogs have so much love to give , they lift your spirits when you are down and so much more Pray for one day all dogs have loving home
Valerie Hyde
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Heart breaking
Gail Carey
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Did you find this lovely dog.x
Frank Williford
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That’s a great question !I’d like to know the answer to that myself !
Rebecca Montemaggi
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AMORE MIO MA CHE MOSTRI
Urszula Haraszczuk
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Poverino
Jacqueline Aleksovski
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Please whoever took this photo, help this dear dog. I would have had to take this dog home.
Veronica Anderson
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Poor darling, I hope the person who took the photo did something
Anne Burton
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Poor puppy! Another jackass threw a beautiful dog away! May karma get him/her!
Elizabeth Dwayne Bush
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I would have. I would have stopped what I was doing and helped. I also wouldn’t have put it on fb. The dog would probably be fed,go to the vets and would be sitting on my couch hogging my room.
Anonymous
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Eilis Downey