Princess could not remove the hundreds of ticks covering her ears. She could not make a veterinary appointment, find somewhere safe to sleep, or explain to anyone how long she had been living this way. The dog was reportedly spending her days on the streets of Mexicali, Mexico, with a body that showed troubling signs she had gone far too long without the care she needed. Yet despite everything, rescuers saw something in her eyes that made walking away impossible. Princess was still trusting, still hopeful, and still waiting for someone to change what happened next.
That someone turned out to be more than one person. After Carolina Mora learned about Princess and began advocating for her, Loving PAWSabilities, Inc. shared an urgent plea for help. What followed was a fast-moving rescue effort involving strangers, supporters, veterinary professionals, transportation plans, and people hundreds of miles away who simply wanted this dog to have a chance. Within hours, the update everyone had been hoping for finally arrived. Princess was safe.
Hundreds of Ticks Covered Her Ears
When Loving PAWSabilities first shared Princess’s story, rescuers were alarmed by her physical condition. According to the organization, she had been living on the streets despite reportedly having an owner who was not providing the care she desperately needed. Her ears offered one of the most disturbing indications that something was wrong. The rescue reported that hundreds of ticks had attached themselves around them, while the rest of her body showed what the organization described as signs of prolonged neglect.
For Princess, there was no way to solve the problem herself. A heavy tick infestation can be more than uncomfortable for a dog, particularly when parasites remain attached in large numbers. Princess needed someone to get her off the street and into the hands of people who could properly assess her condition.
Why a Severe Tick Infestation Can Be Dangerous for Dogs
Ticks are more than an uncomfortable nuisance for dogs. These blood-feeding parasites can transmit diseases, and a severe infestation can create additional health concerns, particularly for puppies, senior dogs, or animals already weakened by illness, malnutrition, or prolonged time without veterinary care.
When large numbers of ticks feed on an animal, blood loss can potentially contribute to anemia. Dogs with heavy infestations may also have irritated or damaged skin around attachment sites, while certain tick species can transmit illnesses such as ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Which diseases pose a risk varies by geographic region and tick species.
Removing visible ticks is therefore only one part of caring for a dog with an infestation as extensive as the one rescuers described on Princess. A veterinarian can evaluate the dog’s overall condition, look for signs of anemia or tick-borne illness, determine whether testing or treatment is appropriate, and recommend safe parasite control.
Princess was taken to a veterinarian soon after being removed from the streets, giving professionals the opportunity to determine what care she needed rather than leaving rescuers to address such a serious infestation on their own.
What struck rescuers just as strongly, however, was the dog beneath all those ticks. Princess had apparently not given up on people. Loving PAWSabilities described her as still trusting and still having plenty of love to give, despite the circumstances in which she had been found. That made the situation feel even more urgent.
Rescuers Began Searching for One ‘Yes’
Princess was in Mexicali, but Loving PAWSabilities hoped to bring her across the border and ultimately into foster care in Southern California. Before that could happen, however, a safe plan had to come together. The organization began asking people to share Princess’s story and connect them with reputable rescue resources capable of helping. Loving PAWSabilities offered to coordinate transportation for an approved foster, but rescuing a dog across such a distance requires more than simply putting her into a vehicle and driving away.
There were veterinary needs to address, transportation to arrange, and a safe destination to secure. Behind the scenes, rescuers were working through those pieces while people online shared Princess’s face in hopes that her story would reach exactly the right person.
Their request eventually came down to three words. Princess needed “ONE YES.”
Carolina was also doing something critically important: refusing to let Princess remain invisible. Loving PAWSabilities later credited her compassion and determination with helping give the dog an opportunity she might otherwise never have received. Sometimes rescue begins with someone noticing. This time, someone did.
Then Princess Was Finally Off the Streets
Later that day, the rescue shared the first major breakthrough. Princess had been removed from the streets and taken to a veterinarian in Mexicali for evaluation. The update transformed the entire direction of her story. Only hours earlier, people were sharing images of a dog covered in ticks and wondering whether anyone could reach her. Now, Princess was somewhere safe, with veterinary professionals able to begin assessing what she needed.
For rescuers, there was still plenty of work ahead. They cautioned supporters that animal rescue requires time, resources, and coordination, especially when several people and organizations may be involved. But one enormous uncertainty was gone. Princess would not be spending another night in the same situation in which she had been found.
Princess Got Her ‘Yes’
Then came the announcement that made everything official. Loving PAWSabilities welcomed Princess into its rescue family. She had been seen by a veterinarian, and arrangements were being made to transport her to a foster home in Southern California. The dog who had so recently needed someone to step forward now had an organization taking responsibility for her future and a safe place waiting at the other end of her journey.
“Princess got her YES,” the rescue announced.
Those words carried considerably more weight than they might appear to at first. A “yes” meant veterinary care. It meant transportation. It meant a foster home and people willing to take responsibility for what came next. Most importantly, it meant Princess was no longer facing the future alone.
Her rescue also demonstrates why sharing animals in urgent situations can sometimes matter. One post cannot provide medical treatment or a foster home on its own, but it can put an animal’s story in front of the person who can. In Princess’s case, a growing network of people helped turn an urgent plea into an actual plan.
There may still be plenty for rescuers to learn about Princess as she receives care and settles into foster life. What she experienced before reaching safety cannot simply be erased, and recovery from prolonged hardship does not happen the moment a dog leaves the street. But Princess’s circumstances have already changed dramatically.
The Next Chapter Looks Very Different
Soon, the sights and sounds surrounding Princess should be very different from the streets of Mexicali. Instead of being left to cope with hundreds of ticks on her own, she will have people monitoring her health. Instead of waiting outside for someone to notice, she will have a foster home where she can begin learning what it feels like to have her needs consistently met.
Perhaps the most remarkable part of Princess’s story is that she apparently remained willing to trust through it all. Rescuers saw a dog who still looked at people with hope, even when people had apparently given her plenty of reasons not to. Now that trust has finally been answered with action.
Princess still has a journey ahead of her, including the trip to Southern California and the adjustment to everything that comes afterward. This time, however, she will not have to make that journey by herself.
The dog who needed just one person to say yes ultimately found an entire group of people willing to fight for her. Princess got her yes, and with it came the chance to discover just how different the rest of her life can be.
Toledo, United States.