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An English Mastiff named Violet had one of the most horrific starts to life imaginable. She was so malnourished that she looked like a skeleton, but to make matters worse, a heartless human threw her out of a car in Maryland.
No one knew who did this to her, but she was likely used for breeding. Rescuers vowed to give her a better life from that moment forward. Violet weighed less than half of what she should have at the time, but with proper care, she grew stronger. Eventually, she looked like a completely different dog in the best ways!
Experiencing Love for the First Time
Mutts Matter Rescue took Violet into their care after hearing about her tragic story. She only weighed 56 pounds at the time, but a healthy weight for an English Mastiff is 130 to 150 pounds. All her bones were visible, so she looked like a living skeleton.
Violet’s body was so weak that she couldn’t even go up stairs on her own. However, she was surprisingly trusting despite everything she had been through. She would wag her tail when her rescuers cared for her. She clearly didn’t want to stop fighting yet.
So, Mutts Matter Rescue worked with Fat Dog Farm to complete Violet’s rehabilitation process. Every pound she gained made a huge difference for her health and mobility. During Violet’s journey, the rescue shared updates on her condition.
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Once Violet was strong enough to start walking outside, the volunteers noticed that she seemed intrigued by the plants around her as if she had never been outside before.
“I can tell you, I wonder if she’s ever been outside. She looks up at the skies and looks up at the trees like she’s never seen them before,” Debbie Gretz, Violet’s foster mom, said.
An Incredible Transformation!
Violet’s foster family’s first goal was to help the pup gain weight to give her enough energy to climb stairs. They fed her healthy, high-fat foods on a specific schedule to help her. She had to eat several small meals throughout the day to make sure her digestive system could handle it. It quickly paid off!
Violet’s recovery process was expected to take months, but it ended up only taking a few weeks! As she gained her weight back, she became more playful and cuddly. Soon, she looked like a healthy Mastiff. You’d never be able to tell her past by looking at her now.
“So she was one of the worst cases I’ve seen. It’s just incredibly rewarding to see them recover from that and to know that you got to be a part of that,” Gretz said.
Once Violet recovered, she quickly found the forever home of her dreams. Her new family had recently said goodbye to their beloved Mastiff, so when they heard about Violet needing a home, it seemed like fate. They happily welcomed Violet into their family, and they’re now giving her all the love she missed out on in her early years.
Featured Image: Facebook
Toledo, United States.
