With the waters above her paws and a leash tethering her to a pole, the dog looked on the verge of becoming a victim of Hurricane Harvey.
The mongrel was soaked to the skin and apparently abandoned in an area where every human had fled before the storm – until DailyMail.com intervened.
Photographer Ruaridh Connellan rushed across the flood water, which was fortunately not dangerously deep, and untied the dog, who wagged her tail and bounded of to safer ground.
Her name now? Lucky – although she still needs a bit more luck to come her way. Lucky was left tied up by her owners on the land where they had been living in a trailer just outside Victoria.
They seemed to have fled, as did all their neighbors.
Whether by accident or design, they left her tied to a post on a leash, where our photographer and reporter her found her on Saturday afternoon.
She was happy to be free and led DailyMail.com to her friends: another dog, a pit bull cross breed, two cats and a small pony.
The pit bull cross was also tied up, but on a longer leach and on the dry land; suggesting that Lucky being tied up in a more dangerous spot may well have been an accident of panicked people fleeing from danger.
Connellan said he couldn’t sleep that night wondering if the pet pooch was OK. And the next day DailyMail.com returned to the trailer.
‘I was happy to see Lucky when I pulled up to the property, she came running out through the fence and greeted and me wagging her tail,’ Connellan said.
‘I fed Lucky some food I had in my car and gave her some fresh water.’
Lucky and the other animals appeared frightened but otherwise safe, for now.
Connellan called the local animal control agency to report the abandoned animals and plans on adopting Lucky if possible. But the authorities are understandably overwhelmed by the scale of the unfolding disaster.
So far DailyMail.com has been unable to trace who was living at the trailer before they left Lucky tied up. She and the other animals had been well-looked after before they left, but they need human attention soon.
Connellan would be happy to step into the breach, after forming a bond with the energetic mongrel.
‘I’d love to take Lucky to live with me in New York. But sadly I’ll have to wait and go through the proper channels.
‘I’m disappointed in people who abandon their animals. I feel good about what I did. There is no doubt in my mind, if I didn’t unleash Lucky from the tree, she would have drowned.’
Do you know Lucky’s owners? Email newsus@mailonline.com
Irina Quenga
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Kathy Dugo That’s exactly my thoughts !!! Once they left her there tied up , they will not care for her. Poor baby. Hope she finds a better home.
Siobhan O'Leary
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Let Lucky’s rescuer adopt him!! He wants him, loves him and the owners obviously don’t bc they left him behind. Let him adopt him before he has to go home to N.Y.!!
They didn’t just leave Lucky. They left another pitbull mix, 2 cats and a pony behind. That is no accident! They should be arrested when they find out who did it and these animals should NEVER be given back to them! Btw…why the hell do they have a pony living in a trailer park??? Yeah, that sounds like a great environment for a pony..pffft. I hope all these animals get adopted soon.
Pam Stone Milleson
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I wouldn’t find the owners, they left the dog behind to drown. Find it a home who will love him and keep him safe.
Carole Placet Mann
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Owners really! they lost that right when they abandoned this dog!!!!
Brenda Wainman-Crozier
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Great ending
Teresa Hilliard Brown
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I CANNOT BELIEVE you are looking for this poor dogs family. Anyone that ties a dog to a pole knowing it’s going to flood should NOT EVER SEE THEIR DOG AGAIN!
Carolyn Lamb
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No, don’t look for the owners. Find a new family who will truly love her and keep her safe no matter what happens.
Teresa Hilliard Brown
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They should NOT have tied it to a pole to die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beatrice Ruiz
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Makes me so pissed to see this poor doggy left behind how sad ur pet is like family I would never leave my dog behind he needs a new mom for sure
Michelle Hal
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They are trying to rescue all animals left behind..but on “owner” who left them should get them back
Barbara Wellings
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Is her owners the ones that tied her to a post probably to drown had some human angel not saved her?
Kathy Hentchey
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Please somebody help this baby get back to its owners
Susan Cunningham
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Return her to owners who left her tied up like that? Really? Poor baby needs loving new home
Teresa Hilliard Brown
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I hope you don’t own a dog!!!
Teri Ardizone Zeringue
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So happy Lucky was saved
James Baldwin
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Lucky can come live with me and Rome dog…
Teresa Hilliard Brown
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The shelters ARE allowing dogs!
Jennifer Trezona
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The owners left this dog tied up to drown. They do not deserve to get him back.
All the stories if people leaving their dogs tied up and helpless make me sick. Would you do that to your child?
Anita Marie Bozelli
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What a sweet face… no way should they get this pup back !
Barbara B. Boerner
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I agree.
Jan Berte
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they don’t deserve to have her – or ANY animal! leaving her like that was just despicable.
Sieba Hiland
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I agree…
Ellen Gardner
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how can someone do that to a poor dog ? That family should be so proud of themselves, and doesn’t Texas have that open carry law? LOL
Diane Hoffman
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If the owner tied her up and left her SHE NEEDS TO HAVE NEW OWNERS!!!!
Patricia Emmons
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Didn’t they abandon her . She needs someone who cares ❤️
Gloria Ann
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Don’t give her back to the owners would they have left a child
Jody Ebargary
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Wow. Yes, please find the wonderful family who tied the dog up to drown, with no way to try to get to higher ground. Sounds like they really care for this dog. Come on people. Animal cruelty. This is not ok, and these animals should NOT be going to these people.
Ellen Gardner
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I would take her in a heartbeat, screw Lilly she would have to get over it LOL
Michelle Dutchess Collen
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Why look for the owners aparfrom to fine or punish them, I’m sure there are plenty who would give her a loving home, her daily didn’t care enough for her to take her with them
Lita Gary Ritz
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Watching the news should’ve gave them info on how bad this hurricane is. When it’s category 4 means it’s time to head for higher ground. Grab your animals, family, all the emergency kit, medications, extra clothing, shoes, food and bottled waters for at least 3 days worth. Head for the hills.
Linda Griffin
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Who hooo…..God is good…
Christie Bahnsen
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I’m with everyone else….find this fellow a new home who will NOT leave him behind for any reason.
Dani DiCapua
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Why would you want to give the dog back to the owners?!?! They tied him up and left him to DIE!
Jackson Leigh
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“Find the owners”?! Hopefully you mean find “new” owners!!!
Loretta Wilds
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Glad the dog is ok!
Michelle Zmudzinski-Miller
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You honestly would give him back to the same people who tied him to the pole and left him for dead?? Save the dog and tie his previous owners to the pole and let them sweat!!!
Lana Madsen
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Don’t bother looking for those heartless owners. Look instead for a caring, loving new home!!
Catherine Baffa
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Wait was he tied up ??? Then no find someone who actually cares
Becky Betsworth
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You don’t leave a loved pet tied to a pole in a heaving rain, much less a hurricane and expect to find anything but a dead pet when it’s all over! That dog needs a new owner.
Linda Moore
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Really ? They left lucky tied and abandoned and you are looking for the owners!! Omg
Carole Ross
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Oh no!!! They were cruel and heartless to leave that poor dog and definitely lucky to be alive and thanks to rescuers … please don’t give her back to owners who obviously care so little for her. I couid never leave my dog to such a horrible fate. I’m in the uk and there are very few who are living outside let alone chained up!
Please find a new good home for her… they don’t deserve her
Jessica Morningstar Proulx
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I hope you only want them found to level charges of animal cruelty against them.
Lourdes Alana Villa Kuhn
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I Would’ nt returned this poor Dog to those criminals.
Nancy Hogan
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I can’t imagine leaving this poor fur baby.
Evelyn Davis
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Thank you Jesus.
Tara DuVall Bowman
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“some” not ALL of us…you got issues with speaking about situations. Your words are only spam at this point!
Eri Wong
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she needs new home!! those who left her there don’t deserve this baby
Tara DuVall Bowman
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What is it with your IGNORANCE??!!
Renee Escamillo Baker
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Don’t give her back to her “owners”! They left her tied to that pole!
Katie Mulligan Leber
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Sure, let’s find the owners who left the poor dog tied to a pole…Lucky deserves much better. His life was saved, time for a whole new second chance