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
Renee Escamillo Baker
- Edit
If they couldn’t take the dog, the least they could have done was left her untied so she could fend for herself!
Wilma Leon
- Edit
Thank you to those who saved her. It’s hard to imagine giving the owner’s the benefit of the doubt when they left her tied up.
Jase Teskey
- Edit
Umm, how about no? The owners left the dog tied up to die… They don’t get the dog back
Tressa Putnam
- Edit
Why would you want to give her back to the non-humans that strung her up to die!
Vickie K. Burnett
- Edit
Hope she finds her family
Jennifer Robles-Collins
- Edit
Outrageous…
Hazel Rabadan
- Edit
Are you sure it was not the owners who left her to die. Why bother they would probably try to kill her again.
Hazel Rabadan
- Edit
Are you sure it was not the owners who left her to die. Why bother they would probably try to kill her again.
Hazel Rabadan
- Edit
Are you sure it was not the owners who left her to die. Why bother they would probably try to kill her again..
Judith Backlog
- Edit
She needs a new home not another rope and post
Ellen Stewart Rigano
- Edit
I totally agree! This precious pup deserves a new loving family.
Jackie Pluck
- Edit
Here here! I appreciate it is a desperate situation but I could never leave my dog to basically die. New owners for Lucky x
Marey Pacifico DeFreitas
- Edit
Find the owners? Really?
I think it’s the owners that should be tied to a pole left to drown.
How about find this baby a loving home where the new owners would actually make sure to include their dog in an emergency.
Find the owners.
Pffffft.
Suzanne Bailey
- Edit
Owners go to jail or hell. Little dog goes to a new living home.
Jennifer Clark Smith
- Edit
I agree with comments below !
Kathleen Gordon
- Edit
Why when they left her chained up…she needs new owners to love her
Brenda Potts
- Edit
a*s hole owners. If she was here I’d have her. Little beauty????
Stuart Aldrich
- Edit
The owners should be tied to a pole during the next storm…
Nicole Rhodes
- Edit
I refuse to help a dog go back to owners who left her to die.
Carole Lamenza
- Edit
Thank God someone saved this sweet doggie.
Allyson Ouellette
- Edit
James Ratman Bujold Claudia Pinet
Jill Newbold
- Edit
Not the owners since they tied her up. Find someone to love her.
Pauline Kilham
- Edit
I wouldn’t bother looking for her owners they don’t deserve her, give her to someone who cares .
Heather Weston
- Edit
Please don’t giv e her back to these unfeeling people. They could have swam her out of danger,as most dogs swim
Beth Annathia
- Edit
Owners who her chained during a hurricane ? I don’t think so. She needs new owners who would never do that to a pet.
Steven Felegie
- Edit
Why would you give Lucky back to the owners that abandoned her??
Brenda Barton
- Edit
They left him to die..now you want to give him back to the people who abandoned him
WHY
Molly Jean Parker
- Edit
WHY?
John Chappelow
- Edit
I’d rather meet his ‘owner’ and rip out his heart. I hope police live up to their word to prosecute creatures who did things like this.
Cheryl Short
- Edit
Needs new owners!
Elmer Kenneth Ferrer
- Edit
Find her owners? How bout fine her owners plus jail time?
Louise Lepage
- Edit
Sorry don’t find the owners who do you think left her there we had a fire the other week I would not leave till we got all five pets out no way could I live with myself if I left even one behind
Bronwyn Gamble Campbell
- Edit
Heck no. She needs to go to someone who wouldn’t leave her tied up to die.
Saul Sanchez
- Edit
Why the$#%&!@*would he need help finding the trash that left him there.. Are you stupid?
Carol Holman Bennett
- Edit
His owners do not deserve him!
Dondena McCullough
- Edit
When find them fine them for leaving tied up behind.
Jacqueline Herman
- Edit
Looking good!❤
Monica Bemarova
- Edit
Yes please look for the heartless owners and once you find them punish them in some way or give them a fine for leaving him behind without a care.
Lisa Don
- Edit
So glad he was rescued God is good!!!!
Bev Berg Baker
- Edit
Thank God!!
Shannon Bisson
- Edit
The owners? They don’t deserve her!
Stacey Erskine
- Edit
He doesn’t want to return the dog to them. He wants the “legally” adopt him.
Annie Waltham
- Edit
NEW OWNERS. NOT THOSE WHO TETHERED HER TO A POLE. HOW RIDICULOUS
Ann Barrett
- Edit
Owners dont deserve this dog, needs a new forever loving home.
Anna Quagliaroli Riendeau
- Edit
Should not go back to his owners. Never should have left him like that! Find him a new home with people that care.
Dawn Carling
- Edit
Thank God don’t give it bk 2 it owners they don’t deserve this dog for leaving it to drown, give it 2 a new family
Riley M Lafata
- Edit
I wouldn’t give her back to her owners….. Why so they can abandon her again?!
Ruby Bird
- Edit
How do you know a flood is coming and leave your fur baby Chained up in it, it had to have been raining heavy winds etc. Wtf is wrong with people
Barbara Bobbe
- Edit
Agree with comments from Lynn and Kerry.
Sherri Tagge
- Edit
Personally, I don’t think the owners should get this dog back.