Ohio Town In Disbelief After Cat Found In Freezer And Dog Shot, Both Linked To Same Owner

For the team at Animal Charity of Ohio, a gas station in Youngstown has become a place they sadly recognize far too well, and for heartbreaking reasons.

Early one morning, a distressing call came through about a cat trapped inside a commercial freezer behind that very gas station.

The cat was left on a cold floor with only what appeared to be a discarded bagel for company. No creature deserves to be treated like that.

Thankfully, a Youngstown police officer arrived quickly and contacted the humane agents from Animal Charity.

When rescuers reached the scene and freed the cat from that chilling nightmare, they knew she needed a fresh start.

They named her Kali. Now safe and warm at the shelter, Kali is finally receiving the love and care she was denied for who knows how long.

But the story takes a deeply painful turn. Just a few months earlier, the same rescue team faced another emergency.

While transporting an injured dog to their clinic, they were suddenly rerouted to a different call involving another animal in distress.

When they arrived, their hearts sank. The dog they found wasn’t just any dog…

It was Koda, the dog who had stayed with them before while her owner was hospitalized. This time, though, Koda wasn’t just boarding; she was badly hurt.

There was a deep wound on her neck, and at first, no one knew exactly what caused it. The more they examined her, the more devastating the truth became.

It appeared Koda had been shot. She couldn’t move and only managed to lift her head slightly. Her spinal cord was swollen, evidence of severe trauma.

Worse still, Koda had been left suffering for hours. The police were on site but failed to notify the rescue team right away.

Koda’s pain went unnoticed for far too long. By the time Animal Charity arrived, she was in critical condition. The rescue shared in a Facebook post:

“We were not notified for SEVERAL HOURS. We were also not told that she was injured… This is an absolute nightmare. We don’t know if she was injured by her owner… There was major oversight and she was suffering.”

They rushed the pup to MedVet Akron, where she immediately began tests and treatment. Slowly, she started to fight back.

Though the road is long, this brave dog is showing progress. She’s moving her back legs and learning to sit up with assistance. She even uses her voice to ask for attention.

She still faces challenges ahead, but neither Koda nor those caring for her is ready to give up.

As if this heartbreaking story couldn’t get any worse, there’s a cruel connection that ties everything together: Kali and Koda share the same owner. That fact hit the rescuers like a punch to the gut.

After Koda was taken for treatment, the team returned to the house to find the front door wide open. In the confusion, little Kali had slipped out.

That’s how she ended up locked inside the freezer, scared, freezing, and forgotten.

Thankfully, both Kali and Koda are now safe with Animal Charity of Ohio, but the horrors they endured make their rescue all the more emotional.

It’s clear now that both animals were victims of the same heartbreaking neglect. This was not just cruelty; it was ongoing, intentional abuse.

But what matters most now is that Kali and Koda are finally safe. They are healing, slowly but surely, with a whole community standing behind them.