In the world of first responders, every call presents a unique blend of emotions and challenges but this one made our blood run cold. It came from a concerned resident in Delft, The Hague, on Sunday the 2nd of July. The caller had seen a dog take shelter under a concrete slab after which an unidentifiable group of individuals filled in the exit and completely covered the area under a mound of sand.
Inspector Lee Prins knew time was of the essence. In a frantic race against time, our Inspector reached the location and dug through the mound of sand with a sinking heart. “It was taking too long but I had to keep reminding myself that if I start to panic, I won’t be of any use to the dog that needs me now”.
“When I finally reached him, he was curled up in a ball and he didn’t move, I thought I was too late” says Inspector Prins. Fortunately this wasn’t the case, Courage was still alive, it seems he had just resigned himself to his fate.
“It’s such a heartless thing to do” says Chief Inspector Jaco Pieterse, “we are very grateful to the compassionate person who called us, this dog would have suffered terribly had we not been notified. We will do everything in our power to identify those responsible for this heinous act of cruelty and ensure they are brought to book”.
At the Hospital
Once at our hospital, Courage was assessed by our veterinary team. He surprisingly tested negative for a range of diseases we suspected based on his levels of lethargy and the condition of his skin. Thankfully, he was only dirty, neglected and emaciated. He is being treated with a liquid nutritional supplement and vitamin B to support his immune system, improve appetite, aid in digestion, and enhance overall vitality. He is also being fed intermittently on Hills a/d to aid his recovery.
A Warm Bath
Courage was also prescribed an F10 (Germicidal Treatment Shampoo) bath to treat his skin condition.
It’s only been a few days since Inspector Lee Prins’ heart-thumping rescue and Courage still has a long road to recovery ahead of him. But he’s a brave boy, he’s giving it his all and stealing hearts along the way.
Update: From Buried Alive to Thriving in a Loving Home
Read all about Courage's Adoption Here!
Please support Courage’s journey to health and a loving home by sending a donation now. Courage can’t do it alone, no matter how brave he is.
