A few weeks ago in St. Louis, Missouri, a man heading home from work came across a heartbreaking sight: a tiny black-and-white puppy tied to a bus stop bench, so weak she couldn’t even stand.
As the summer heat bore down, the man didn’t hesitate — he gently scooped her up and carried her home. Then he made a call that would change everything.
“He just knew she needed help,” said Donna Lochmann, Chief Life Saving Officer at Stray Rescue of St. Louis. “When we arrived at his house, he led us straight to her.”
What Lochmann saw stunned her. The puppy wasn’t just thin — she was skeletal. “She was laying outside on a blanket in the shade, but she had no strength,” Lochmann said. “She couldn’t stand, so I picked her up and carried her to our Jeep.”
Despite her frailty, the puppy — later named She-Ra — wagged her tail when she saw Lochmann. Her body was weak, but her spirit was still very much alive.
At the shelter, She-Ra underwent a full medical evaluation. Though her past remained unclear, it was obvious she’d suffered significant neglect. “We think she was confined in a small crate for much of her life,” Lochmann said. “She never had a fair start.”
Determined to give her a new one, the veterinary team put She-Ra on a slow, careful refeeding plan to help her body adjust to food again. She still couldn’t walk, so staff members lovingly carried her inside and wheeled her around outside in a stroller.
Gradually, her strength returned. Within weeks, She-Ra was standing on her own, then walking, then playing.
Once stable, she moved into a foster home — and quickly embraced the good life. “She lived with other dogs, a cat, a monkey, and even a bird,” Lochmann said. “She loved running around the big yard and making new friends.”
Then, an adoption application arrived that felt just right. The family had seen She-Ra’s story and knew she belonged with them. When they met her, the connection was instant.
“She ran to the door to greet them, and their faces just lit up,” Lochmann said.
Now, She-Ra is thriving in her forever home. She gets all the attention she could want and goes on plenty of adventures with the people who adore her.
“She’s come so far,” Lochmann said. “She’s a happy dog with a happy life — and the ending she always deserved.”
To help more dogs like She-Ra, you can donate to Stray Rescue of St. Louis here.
