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
Deborah Geyer
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Exactly!
Deborah Geyer
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WTF?!
Jennifer Lymperis Bergeron
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Seriously why find his owners? They clearly don’t care about him. Let some caring people adopt him!!
Jane Bisbee Britton
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I would take her in a minute
Chickie Marsala
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Screw her owners they left her. She needs a new home where she is loved!!
Ruth Munro
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Sweet baby
Ashley Slehofer
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Sorry by other families we’re not leaving their dogs behind. I think this dog deserves better owners,Who will not abandon her.
Alicia Brundage
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You people are so mean. You have no idea the fix her owners may have been in. If you had to choose your dog or your child, what would you do. Obviously her people were in an untenable, chaotic, dangerous situation. How about we lay off the judgement and show a little compassion.
Dawn Hoyer Pennepacker
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Hmmmmmm. Why wasn’t she WITH her owners??????
Shane Jensen
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Im in Australia and would be so proud to give Lucky a home , love and protection
Valerie Barela Saggerson
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Why they tied her up, better off with new owners.
Heather Shearer
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I’m so glad she was rescued. It broke my heart and I had tears every time I’d see that picture. It makes me want to throat punch the idiots who do such a thing
Ariana Myers-Ross
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Who would want to give that dog back to the original owner. They don’t deserve the dog after tying it up during hurricane Harvey.
Gwyneth Mccarthy
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Well done hope lucky can stay with you
Kathy Thompson Williams
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F*** her owners they should be charged and they should never have that dog or any other dog after this
Julie Jordan
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Why would you give this baby back to the people, who left her to die?
Jamie Halbert
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I am so happy this dog has been saved!!
Julie Osborn
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Who cares who the owners are unless you tie them to a pole
Rebecca Lischalk
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I say this dog needs a owner who will love him not leave him behind
Bridget Torricelli LeBlanc
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Prayers for this beautiful dog
Martha Ann Crenshaw
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Why should Lucky go back to a family that left her tied to a post during a hurricane? She needs a loving family who will take care of her and keep her safe. Bless the people who saved her!!!!
Vala Stabler
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Find them and charge them with animal cruelty!
Gaylen La Londe Flynn
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Im sorry but her owners are probably the ones that tied her to the pole. No let’s not find the owners but find her new owners.
Vala Stabler
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Your dog is your child no difference.
Gwen Logan
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Like the other comments why in the hell would you want to find her owners. Apparently they didn’t have any compassion for her to just leave her tied up knowing there was flood waters coming. They are worthless human beings to do that.
Sharon Bilyeu
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She needs someone to really love her .
Stephen Frazier
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Her owners tied her up and left her to die!
Paula Chirhart Rubald
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Did the owners tie her up and leave her to quite possibly drown??
Trish Ann Trask-Huggins
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Agreed
Sarah Paiboon
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No! Owner abandon him.
Michè L. Pintar
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Don’t give her back to owners they left her there to die!!
Lorraine Lee Ligouri Corso
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Her “Owners” don’t deserve her back. She needs a loving home.
Krissi Hibbs Bylsma
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How about new owners.
Gail Brown-Mccormick
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Don’t care the reason… makes angry!
Berneda Holbrook
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Look for new owners. They left her
Janet Kessler Shapiro
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He deserves a new family that will love him. It would be cruel to return him to the family that left him there.
Ingrid Say
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Porque quieren encontrar a sus dueños??? Si lo dejaron es obvio que no les importa. Pobrecito perrito.
Julie Ashlock
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Wait they tied their fur baby to a pole and left her to die and we’re supposed to help find them? So we can tie THEM to a tree wait for more rain & see if anyone will save them……right?!
Rebekah Hinojosa
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The owners DONT deserve this dog back!!!! They left him to die!!!!!
Lin Bradie
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Ya, I’m confused, her owners left her there is my understanding. Why would you give her back to them. Find her some loving owners that wouldn’t leave her.
Joy Kingston
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Why gave Lucky back to He’s owner went they tied him to a telephone pole to drown
Jeanne Rossebo
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Thank you for saving them! Don’t give them back to the owners! They left them tied up to die!!’
Lin Bradie
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So I don’t understand why people left there animals tied up. If you really couldn’t take your animals with you atleast untie them so they have a chance to survive. They can atleast swim or run if they need too
Denice Jamerson
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Thank god she was saved that was so cruel to leave her like that
Me2zi And Matic
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Anyone have an update??? I’m just sick over this poor baby and all the others. Praying for you Texas! Hang in there and take care of each other as well. Hope this four-legged child finds her way to a new home that will love her and never leave her. Horrible. Making donations. Wish I could do more. Love and hugs from Georgia.
Becky Johnson
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Don’t give her back. They left her to die
Sue Dirksen
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sad!
Becky Johnson
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Who in their right mind would tie up any animal during a storm.???? Here’s a thought , get him a good home!!!!
Karen Powell Hajec
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She needs new owners that will love her & treat her as she deserves to be treated. Former owners left her & should have no rights to her. Tied her to a tree with rising waters! That’s despicable!
John Reego
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Such a cutie!