North Carolina Couple Devastated After Finding Their Senior Dog Flailing In Mud For Hours

Life on a farm is never boring. With so many animals running around, there’s always someone to feed, someone to chase, and someone who needs a little extra love.

That’s the daily rhythm at Ziggy’s Refuge Farm Sanctuary, in Providence, North Carolina.

There, Kristin and Jay pour their hearts into making sure every creature (and there are over a hundred of them) feels safe and cherished.

But one day, something felt off. Their senior pup, Whitey, wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

At first, it seemed like maybe he was just napping in a shady spot. After all, Whitey had spent most of his life patrolling barns and fields, so wandering was nothing new to him.

But hours started slipping by, and still no Whitey. Anyone who’s ever loved an older dog knows that sinking feeling in your stomach when they don’t come back right away.

Kristin and Jay began searching the massive property, calling his name, worrying a little more with each passing minute.

It’s hard to imagine now, but when Kristin and Jay first bought the farm back years ago, Whitey wasn’t their cuddly house dog yet. He was more like a ‘worker’ in the barn, as ZRFS shared on Facebook:

“Whitey used to live in the barn alone; he had no family. His job was to protect the animals.”

The day they carried him inside for the first time, his world completely changed. He wasn’t just a farm dog. He was family. The ZRFS added:

“He was so happy to be a beloved family dog. He’s been inside everyday since.”

That’s why Whitey’s sudden disappearance shook them so much. He never strayed far from Kristin and Jay, and he followed them everywhere. For him to vanish like this wasn’t just unusual; it was alarming.

Finally, Kristin caught a faint, wet sound in the distance. It wasn’t a bark. It wasn’t a cry. It was more like a faint splash.

Following the noise, she came upon a sight that made her heart stop: Whitey was chest-deep in a huge mud pit.

His legs were caked and heavy, and his body was trembling with exhaustion.

The poor old boy had probably been struggling for hours, stuck and unable to free himself. The ZRFS shared in a Facebook post:

“Whitey wasn’t [making] any noise, Kristin could barely hear the faint sound of him trying to get out of the mud. This is the last place we thought we’d find Whitey.”

Kristin tried with all her might to pull him out, but Whitey was wedged in too deep. Thankfully, Jay was right behind her.

With one determined heave, he managed to lift their beloved pup from the muck and set him safely back on solid ground.

Whitey wobbled around trying to shake it off, leaving little drops of mud behind with every step. His humans were chasing after him to make sure he didn’t topple over.

Eventually, they carried him inside, washed all the dirt from his fur, and tucked him into his bed. Exhausted but safe, he drifted off to sleep with Kristin and Jay right by his side.

Whitey isn’t just part of Kristin and Jay’s lives; he’s the old soul who has watched over every single creature on the farm, a friend to them all. ZRFS shared:

“He’s incredible, the love of our lives, the gift that keeps on giving and there’s not really a perfect description that can describe him, because you don’t understand unless you meet him.”

And though that mud pit gave everyone a scare, the only thing that truly mattered was that Whitey was back where he belonged.