For more than a week, a thin, frightened black dog wandered the streets of Youngstown, Ohio. Believed to have been abandoned, she limped from place to place, too scared to let anyone near.
“The poor girl was limping and very frail,” Megan Zarlenga of the Mahoning County Dog Warden told The Dodo. “Deputy Keith Stokes recognized her from many days of trying to catch her. He had tried repeatedly, but she would never let him close.”
On Wednesday, Stokes teamed up with police officer Megan Feidler to try again. They managed to track down the desperate pup — but her fear was still stronger than her hope.
So Feidler decided to take a different approach. Instead of rushing in, she sat down on the ground, giving the dog space and time to see she meant no harm.
“I felt so sad for her,” Feidler said. “She was obviously scared and very skinny. Eventually, she laid down next to me. I just kept talking to her and petting her, letting her know it’s OK.”
Slowly, trust began to grow. At last, Feidler slipped a leash around her and guided her toward safety.
The moment she climbed into the van, the exhausted dog closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.
“She was exhausted,” Zarlenga said.
Volunteers from Friends of Fido Animal Rescue soon stepped in to provide the care she so desperately needed. That’s when they discovered she had a broken hip. Despite her pain, she showed only sweetness and quiet resilience.
They gave her a new name: Maeve.
“We don’t know what she’s been through, but she has a bright future ahead,” Zarlenga said. “So many people are in her corner now.”
For her gentle, patient actions that day, Feidler has been called an “angel” by people touched by Maeve’s story.
“Once I was able to get the leash on her,” Feidler said, “I was just happy — happy that she could finally get the care she needs and, one day, find a home that will love her unconditionally.”
Maeve’s story is proof that sometimes all it takes to change a life is kindness, patience, and a little hope.
To help support animals Maeve in her recovery, consider donating to Friends of Fido Animal Rescue.
