When Suzette Hall received a call about a small puppy tied to a fire hydrant in a Southern California neighborhood, her heart sank. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time she’d been alerted to a dog abandoned on that very street.
As the founder of Logan’s Legacy dog rescue, Hall had already saved several dogs from the same area. Now, there was one more — a tiny pup left behind with nothing but a container of food and water she was too scared to touch.
“The caller told me she just lay there, curled up in a ball,” Hall said. “She wasn’t even moving.”
Hall wanted to rush over, but time was critical — so she quickly contacted a trusted local resident for help.
“I called a woman I know nearby and asked if she could go right away,” Hall said. “She dropped everything and headed over.”
There, wrapped tightly around a fire hydrant by her leash, was an 8-month-old puppy who would later be named Cici. The leash had wound around the hydrant so many times that Cici could barely move.
“She just kept twisting and twisting,” Hall said. “She was completely stuck.”
Cici growled softly at first — frightened and unsure — but with Hall on the phone guiding her, the woman gently soothed the pup and managed to untangle her from the hydrant. She then wrapped Cici in a blanket, held her close, and carried her to the car.
But on the ride to safety, things took a turn. Cici suddenly became ill — most likely from fear, exhaustion, and going too long without proper food or water.
“She was so sick,” Hall said. “We think the stress and dehydration just overwhelmed her little body.”
Thankfully, they made it to Camino Pet Hospital in time. After receiving fluids, care, and comfort, Cici slowly began to recover.
“She perked up pretty quickly,” Hall said. “It was like she realized she was safe.”
At the hospital, Cici met a lot of kind people, but one person in particular stole her heart: Hedy Herold, the clinic’s office manager.
“Whenever Hedy walks by, Cici’s whole body starts wiggling,” Hall said. “She just lights up.”
Since arriving, Cici has spent her days happily curled in Hedy’s arms, recovering and basking in the affection she had long been missing.
Now that she’s been cleared for foster care, Cici is preparing to leave the hospital and start a new chapter with a loving temporary family — and hopefully soon, a forever one.
Hall is confident that the right home for Cici is just around the corner. After everything she’s endured, this brave little pup is ready to give someone all the love in her heart.
“She’s the sweetest girl,” Hall said. “She’s been through so much, but now she’s just full of joy.”
To inquire about adopting Cici, contact Suzette Hall on Facebook.
To support rescues like Cici’s, donations can be made to Camino Pet Hospital under “Logan’s Legacy 29.”
