The summer heat can be unbearable, especially for stray animals with no one to care for them, and their suffering often goes unnoticed.
One hot day in a California neighborhood, a woman noticed something strange on the hillside.
At first, she thought it was just a coyote, but after seeing it day after day, she realized it was an abandoned dog.
It was the same one that had been posted about for weeks on the local Nextdoor app. The dog had been wandering around, exhausted and overheated.
Neighbors had seen her in different spots but no one knew who she was or reported her missing. Something felt wrong, and the woman knew she had to help.
She reached out to Suzette Hall, a local rescuer, who immediately rushed over.
Despite the intense heat and feeling dizzy herself, she couldn’t stop thinking about the dog, sharing in an interview:
“It was so hot that day. I was feeling so dizzy, but I thought, ‘She’s gotta be hotter’.”
The dog was hiding up on a hillside, and it was hard for Suzette to get to her. Thankfully, kind neighbors let her use their yard to get closer and she managed to reach her.
The poor creature was in bad shape. She hadn’t had water in days, and it was obvious she was suffering.
Suzette set up a trap, placing treats inside and a big bowl of water nearby. The dog, so thirsty, drank the water right away but wouldn’t go into the trap.
Hours went by, and Suzette kept trying to get closer to her, but it wasn’t enough to catch her.
Determined, Suzette left to grab some fresh chicken. When she returned, she put the chicken in the trap and slowly backed away.
As she walked off, she heard the trap shut, and when she turned around, she broke down in tears, as she shared in a Facebook post:
“This was such a hard rescue because of the location she was in, so I was exhausted and hot, and I couldn’t hold back my emotions.”
After all the struggle, the puppy was finally safe.
When Suzette checked the trap, she realized the dog wasn’t just any stray. It was a seven-month-old Belgian Malinois puppy.
Realizing she couldn’t get the trap down the hill on her own, Suzette called firefighters for help. They managed to bring the puppy out of the sun, where she had been wandering for weeks.
Suzette named her Sunshine, sharing:
“I named her Sunshine because it was so hot and because she’s a bright light of sunshine.”
Sunshine was scared and shaky, understandably. Living on the streets had left her unsure of trusting anyone. But her future was about to change.
She was taken to the vet, where she could relax and receive the care she needed. The staff showered her with love, helping her feel safe again.
Soon after, Sunshine moved into a foster home with Brittany, a talented dog trainer who knew exactly how to help her adjust.
Within no time, Sunshine was blooming. She grew more confident each day and began to trust the people around her.
Brittany couldn’t imagine giving up the sweet pup, and when Sunshine walked up to her and gave her a kiss, it was clear – it was meant to be.
Brittany adopted Sunshine, and the two became inseparable.
Now, Sunshine is living the life she deserves. She’s spoiled with love and has a blast playing with her big sister, Akeela.
From a hot, lonely hillside to a home filled with love, Sunshine’s days of struggle are behind her, and her new life is nothing but sunny!
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