Used For Breeding And Then Dumped In The Arizona Desert, This Dog Was Rescued Just In Time
Some dog stories are deeply sad, but fortunately, many of them have a happy ending.
In case the conclusion wasn’t clear yet, let me introduce you to Valor, a beautiful pit bull terrier mix from Arizona. His journey is one that truly deserves to be told.
Abused For Years Only To Be Cruelly Abandoned
One day, Valor was discovered in Laveen, a suburban area in southwest Phoenix, right in the middle of the Sonoran Desert.
The poor dog was in awful shape – alone, terrified, and severely underweight.
A kind passerby found him and immediately brought him to Love Them All Sanctuary and Rescue, a non-profit in Scottsdale, Arizona.
When the rescue team saw Valor, they were heartbroken. They quickly rushed him to the vet for an emergency evaluation.
His condition was so critical that euthanasia was even considered at one point.
The vet performed a detailed examination of Valor, and it became immediately clear that this courageous dog was facing several serious health challenges.
He was diagnosed with a severe case of valley fever, an illness caused by a fungus known as Coccidioides immitis.
In addition to that, Valor was running a fever and suffering from kennel cough. His lymph nodes were slightly enlarged, and his eyes were extremely dry, showing almost no tear production – likely due to severe dehydration, which also contributed to secondary conjunctivitis.
One of his eyes appeared cloudy, possibly from past trauma or injury, and X-rays revealed bony lesions and swelling around his joints, causing significant stiffness and pain.
This likely contributed to his reluctance to walk and the muscle atrophy seen in his body.
Valor had such difficulty moving that the rescue team had to carry him outside for bathroom breaks. He was understandably frightened to go outdoors, associating the outside world with the danger of being abandoned.
His fear likely came from his past, where he had been used for breeding. After a few years, when he was no longer needed, his former breeder callously left him in a remote area.
It was an incredibly harsh fate for an innocent dog, but fortunately, his life began to improve after that.
A Second Chance For A Good Boy
Robyn took Valor into her home as a foster, committed to helping him recover and teaching him to trust humans once more.
Taking care of Valor wasn’t easy; Robyn had to work through his emotional walls and earn his trust, all while giving him the necessary daily medications.
As she recalled in an interview:
“I had to give him so many meds, some of which he didn’t want to take, so I had to put it down his throat and make sure he swallowed it.”
But after just two weeks, Robyn began to see improvement.
Thanks to her love and dedication, Valor’s true personality began to shine through, and he even rewarded her with a tail wag!
He quickly became attached to his foster mom and welcomed her attention. In fact, he craved it. As Robyn explained:
“He was completely fine with me touching him. I think he was eating up the attention because he probably didn’t get it wherever he came from.”
Before long, sweet Valor had made a full transformation. He started running around, playing, and enjoying life once again.
Most importantly, Valor made an incredible recovery and put on weight. He went from weighing just 38 pounds to 68 pounds in a short time, which thrilled Robyn and filled her with happiness over his progress.
Valor quickly became the most pampered pup in Arizona – exactly what he deserved after all he had been through in his young life.
Valor’s Happily Ever After
Valor stayed with Robyn for about five months, fully recovering under her care.
After that, he was transferred to another foster family, who eventually decided to make him a permanent part of their home.
Once a frightened dog left to fend for himself, Valor has transformed into a happy, beautiful pup, now receiving all the love he truly deserves from his new family.
To follow his incredible journey and see what lies ahead for this sweet boy, make sure to follow him onInstagram.
