For over ten years volunteers from Gateway Pet Guardians have gone out every morning and fed the strays on the streets of East St. Louis, Illinois. They have a priority list of dogs that need rescuing, based on health–the worse their health, the sooner they rescue them. They have to do it this way because they only have 13 kennels in their emergency shelter, where dogs go before entering foster care. Still, last year they rescued 422 dogs off the streets. Here are just 10 of their amazing before and after stories.
#1 – Trendley
Like many rescues, Trendley was initially named after the street she was found on. She was in pitiful shape, with a terribly embedded collar, emaciated, and mangy. She was rescued right then, and given the much needed veterinary care. She has since found her forever family and rename Bella Blue!
#2 – Happy
Happy was a regular on our morning stray feeding route and eventually learned to be excited to see our volunteers coming! After a while, he would run up to the car of volunteers and stick his head in the window for treats! We noticed he had an abscess on his neck and took him to the vet. He was treated for the abscess and heartworm and is now fully recovered. He has been with Gateway Pet Guardians for over 6 months living with his foster family. He particularly loves his little human sister and snuggles with her all day! He is still looking for his forever family.
#3 – Patches
Patches was a puppy in a pack of dogs who had a bit of mange at the top of his head that spread and became so severe that it threatened his life. He was elusive and good at finding hiding spaces, which cause several failed attempts at rescue. Finally a local cat rescuer was able to find him and pull him out from under a building. He was treated for mange, and we were quickly able to see the adorable puppy you can see today! He was adopted and is now living the good life!
#4 – Dirk
He had been living on the streets and on the feeding route for quite awhile, always greeting the volunteers with kisses. He was taken to our small emergency shelter and treated for his wounds. He was Heartworm positive, missing all of his front teeth, had an ear infection and just over 20 puncture wounds. One of our shelter volunteers immediately fell in love with the big sweet guy and adopted him 2 short months later!
#5 – Van Gogh
Van Gogh was also a stray dog on our daily feeding route. We kept tabs on him for months to monitor his condition. He was named Van Gogh because he was missing an ear, we assume it happened while living on the street. As life on the streets became more of a struggle, his priority on the list of dogs needing rescued rose. He had a lot of puncture wounds and was Heartworm positive. He is currently recovering with his foster mom and feeling much better! He loves everybody he meets and is still waiting on his forever home.
#6 – Tali
When Gateway Pet Guardians volunteers saw Tali roaming the streets of East St. Louis, they first noticed that she was accompanied by her 3-month-old puppy, later named J,Jr. The second thing that stood out was a piece of rope hanging from her neck. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that the rope was embedded. After two years in foster, Tali found her forever home during the Thanksgiving holiday.
#7 – Chantilly
Chantilly was rescued from a junkyard where she was being attacked by one of the guard dogs. She was rushed to the Veterinarian and treated for her wounds and mange. Since she had not had much interaction to humans before her rescue, she came in very scared and shy. After a few months though, she really loved her foster parents and siblings. She was adopted 10 months after rescue to a very nice couple where she gets to swim in a lake on the weekends!
#8 – Titan
Hung out in a junkyard, and wasn’t treated well. We visited him every day on the morning feeding route. One morning, during the daily stray feeding route, we pulled up to see him in worse shape than ever. He was rescued that day and his multiple puncture wounds were treated. Even though he looked tough, everybody who met him could attest that he was just a big lovable baby! He was adopted by a volunteer with Gateway Pet Guardians and is now living the good life in Austin, Texas. The smart guy even earned his good citizenship certificate, and is a service dog with Love-A-Bull.
#9 – Neena
Neena was part of a 3-pack of dogs (Nigel, Nigella, and Neena) roaming the streets with declining health and constant itchiness. We fed them every day but couldn’t pull them from the streets until their “owner” moved away, leaving them behind. By then Neena was suffering from a horrible tumor, mange, and other issues. She was treated for all of her ailments and spent her recovery time in a patient foster home. She was shy at first, but eventually warmed up to her foster family and loved living inside! After 562 days with her foster mom, Neena was adopted to a wonderful family! (all 3 are healthy, happy, and living in their forever homes) She was on the feeding route for 4-5 years and Nigel and Nigella were her pups who stayed with her even when grown (very unusual).
#10 – Charlotte
Was found in July 2013 during one of our regular stray feeding routes in East Saint Louis. She was in terrible condition laying in the weeds by some train tracks. She was injured, malnourished and seizing. The volunteers quickly decided to scoop her up and drive straight to the vet. There, they found she had been shot and poisoned, which was causing seizures, vertigo, disorientation and hearing loss. After about a month, she was taken off her anti-seizure medication and her hearing returned! After a year and a half with Gateway Pet Guardians she found her forever home! One of our favorite quotes from her dad is “I needed her just as much as she needed me.” She now lives the fun life in New Orleans!
