Starving Pup Blossoming Into a Snuggly Soul in Foster Home
In mid June, a young skinny Pit Bull arrived at Stray Rescue of Saint Louis weighing just 33 pounds. Every one of her ribs and hip bones was visible on her emaciated frame. “But those big, beautiful eyes look right into our souls,” the rescue animal shelter wrote. One of their vet techs named her “Jailbird” (JB for short) after a childhood pet.
To ensure she would not suffer from refeeding syndrome—a serious health condition that can occur when starving animals are reintroduced to food too quickly—they started her on small meals and put her on a strict feeding plan. This is always best done under the supervision of a vet, so she stayed at their medical clinic for a few weeks until she reached a safe weight to go into foster care.
Two weeks later, Jailbird’s personality began to “bloom like a bright, beautiful flower.” She gained five pounds and, in return, gained back energy and began finding the joy in life.
They put out a call for a medical foster home so that the sweet, gentle pup could continue gaining weight in the comfort of a loving home. One of their supporters stepped forward to help, and Jailbird is now in a foster home and doing well.
Stray Rescue of St. Louis shared that she’s doing great in her foster home, gaining weight and loving all the attention she’s getting. “She’s the best snuggler” according to her foster family, and loves to curl up next to her foster canine sibling and humans.
“Her foster family says she’s the most gentle and kind pup in the world,” Stray Rescue of St. Louis added. “She just craves safety, comfort, and love. She’s doing great in her crate when they leave for work, and she’s excited to see them when they get home!”
As much as her foster family would like to keep caring for her they can only keep her for a few more weeks in July so Stray Rescue of St. Louis is asking if anyone can take over fostering Jailbird while she continues to heal. To apply to foster (or adopt) Jailbird visit: Strayrescue.org/Foster