Pink From the Cold: Two Dogs Rescued in Freezing Temperatures After Late-Night Call
Late Friday night, after staff at Stray Rescue of St. Louis had already gone home, a call came in reporting that a “dog may be chained in an abandoned house.” With temperatures dipping to 9 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12 Celsius), Donna and Jess knew they couldn’t leave a dog outside in those conditions and headed out to investigate.
“The snow helped us track pawprints around abandoned buildings until we found him, a male dog dragging a chain leash (which is why the caller thought he might be chained up),” they wrote. But they were in for a surprise when another dog popped into view. They described, “With him was a female companion with a vaginal prolapse, requiring immediate medical attention.”
Donna quickly lost feeling in her fingers as the bitter cold set in and they laid out a trap, hoping the dogs would quickly enter it. Fortunately, their friend Officer Ottengheim arrived to assist, and together they were able to secure both dogs within 10 minutes and get them into the warmth of the Jeep.
Rescuers don’t know how long the dogs had been outside, fending for themselves in the freezing temperatures but the two dogs “were both pink from being cold for so long!” When they finally arrived at the shelter, they were so exhausted that they began snoring while being comforted. The dogs were named Fannar (female) and Eira (male), Welsh for “Snow” and “Snowdrift.”
Eira and Fannar are both dog-friendly and ready to meet foster families before they go up for adoption. You can apply at: Strayrescue.org/foster