Used For Breeding Then Left In The Arizona Desert, This Dog’s Fate Changed In The Nick Of Time
Some dog stories are simply heartbreaking, but thankfully, most of them end on a positive note.
In case I haven’t already spoiled the ending, let me introduce you to Valor, a gorgeous pit bull terrier mix from Arizona. His life story is one that is absolutely worth sharing.
Abused For Years Only To Be Cruelly Abandoned
One day, Valor was found in Laveen, a suburban area in southwest Phoenix, within the heart of the Sonoran Desert.
This poor boy was in terrible condition; he was all alone, terrified, and extremely malnourished.
A Good Samaritan discovered him and quickly rushed him to Love Them All Sanctuary and Rescue, a non-profit organization based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
When the rescue staff saw Valor, their hearts broke. They immediately took him to the vet for an emergency check-up.
His condition was so dire that at one point, they even considered euthanasia.
The vet conducted a thorough examination of poor Valor, and it quickly became clear that this brave pup was battling multiple serious health issues.
He was diagnosed with a severe case of valley fever, a disease caused by a fungus called Coccidioides immitis.
On top of that, Valor had a fever and kennel cough, his lymph nodes were slightly swollen, and his eyes were extremely dry, with little to no tear production – likely due to severe dehydration, which also led to secondary canine conjunctivitis.
Additionally, one of his eyes showed cloudiness, possibly from trauma or injury, and X-rays revealed bony lesions and swelling around his joints, which caused him a lot of stiffness and pain.
This likely led to his reluctance to walk and the muscle atrophy that was visible in his body.
Poor Valor struggled so much to move that rescue workers had to pick him up and carry him outside for his bathroom breaks.
But he was terrified to go outside, associating the outdoors with danger – where he had once been cruelly abandoned.
His fear likely stemmed from the fact that he had been used for breeding.
After 2 or 3 years, when he was no longer needed, his previous breeder simply left him in the middle of nowhere.
Such a cruel fate befell this innocent creature, but thankfully, his life took a turn for the better.
A Second Chance For A Good Boy
A woman named Robyn took Valor into her foster care, determined to nurse him back to health and help him learn to trust humans again.
Caring for Valor was no easy task; Robyn had to break through his emotional barriers and gain his trust while also administering the daily medications he needed.
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, he almost fully recovered and gained weight. From a 38-pound pup, he grew to 68 pounds in a short time, leaving Robyn overjoyed with his progress.
Valor became the most spoiled pup in all of Arizona – exactly what he deserved after everything he’d endured in his short life.
Valor’s Happily Ever After
Valor spent about five months with Robyn, making a full recovery in her care.
After that, he moved to another foster family, who eventually made him a permanent member of their family.
From a terrified dog abandoned in the middle of nowhere, Valor blossomed into the most beautiful pup, deserving of all the love his new family now showers him with.
To keep up with his journey and see what the future holds for this sweet boy, be sure to follow him on Instagram.
