UPDATE:
Leialoha is home for good! She’s a foster fail and living in Hawaii with her new family. You can follow her on Instagram: @LuckyLeialoha!
Original Post:
The beaches of Oahu, Hawaii are a paradise, but for this unfortunate pup, the sun-soaked sands were nearly her grave. A passerby on the beach spotted a machete-wielding man burying this poor dog alive in broad daylight, and immediately contacted PAWS of Hawaii.
Thanks to his lack of hesitation, the pup lived to see another day. The entire team of PAWS of Hawaii showed up to save her. It was immediately clear to the people there that being buried wasn’t the only abuse she had suffered. According to PAWS of Hawaii, 90% of her fur was gone, she was sunburned, swollen, and covered in sores.
The pup, now named Leialoha, was rushed straight to Aloha Affordable Veterinary Services where she was looked over and cared for by veterinarians. They discovered that she had been cut badly along her front legs – damage from the machete her abuser was carrying. She was thirsty, hungry, and tired, and though her bloodwork came back less than satisfactory, she was thankfully free from heartworms, Parvo, and Ehrlichia.
PAWS of Hawaii posted photos of Leialoha to their Facebook page, and the community opened their hearts and poured out a surge of pure love for her. Well-wishes, prayers and donations flooded the page and enough money was raised for her care that PAWS of Hawaii has been able to care for some of their other pups in need! An experienced foster took Leialoha into her home and is helping her feel comfortable again with humans.
“Earlier this week, I was scrolling FB, while the girls were getting haircuts and saw that there was a dog on the westside of Oahu that had been buried in the sand and been cut on her leg with a machete. She was badly sunburned, covered in sores, and missing most of her fur. My heart was broken and I knew she needed us to foster her.”
Even missing all her fur, scabbed and bloody, Leialoha, with her big eyes and sweet demeanor is a beautiful treasure.
The road to recovery will take some time – PAWS of Hawaii has said that her skin was so badly hurt that “she was bleeding from every inch of her body.” But patience and love will always win out, and her foster, Amanda, was happy to report that she has seen definite improvement! She even caught her first tail wag since being rescued on camera!
https://www.facebook.com/PAWSofHawaii/videos/391010174881383/?t=3&v=391010174881383
“Leialoha has come so far since Tuesday night. Initially, she would only leave her kennel to go to the bathroom. Last night, she came out, while we had friends over to see what was for dinner and has been liking being under the coffee table. She has a long way to go, but the worst is over.”
It’s difficult to imagine what would cause someone to harm a sweet living creature like Leialoha, but Ku’ulei Durand, the Executive Director of PAWS of Hawaii believes that her abuser may have been trying to put a long life of suffering to an end in what he believed was a kindness. We think that’s a very generous idea of what may have happened, but what is most important is that the ordeal is over.
He has not been identified, but because there is no recorded proof of him abusing the dog, PAWS of Hawaii does not have high hopes that he will be held responsible for his crime.
We know that stories of abuse can be hard to read, but we hope to celebrate the rescuers by sharing stories like these. For every abuser, there is a team of rescuers, and hundreds of supporters around the world looking forward to helping! Thanks to Leialoha’s rescuers and those who have donated to her care, Leialoha’s story isn’t over, she’s just closing a dark chapter of her life and moving on to a much happier ending!
There is a lot of interest from potential adopters, but first, PAWS of Hawaii and Amanda are committing to making sure she is totally healed, inside and out!
Follow PAWS of Hawaii on Facebook to keep up with Leialoha as she recovers. You can be a part of her story by donating to support her medical care – any overflow will help other unfortunate pups in the care of PAWS of Hawaii!
Featured Photo: PAWS of Hawaii/Facebook
H/T: KITV.com
Toledo, United States.
