An abandoned, starving dog was living in a small enclose of shrubs and trees alongside a busy freeway in Los Angels. Saving her was no easy task for a pair of dog rescuers who were called to the scene, and it took both people to subdue the frightened pup. Thanks to the efforts of these animal lovers, the pooch received the care she needed and ended up adopted in a new loving home.
A couple of days after that first encounter, Hagar returned for a second attempt, this time with fellow animal rescuer Loreta Frankonyte. They came up with a plan to safely capture the pup while avoiding her running onto the busy road.
Frankonyte approached from on top of a rise, while Hagar remained at the bottom of the slope, with the pooch in the middle, amidst the brush. The woman first heard the scared pooch, which was barking but still couldn’t see her.
Terrified, the pup is seen suddenly running towards the bottom of the hill, as she had before. But this time, Hagar was prepared. As the fearful dog ran past him, he swiftly looped a snare around her neck and captured her fast. Cautiously, the pair closed in and offered some treats in a bid to gain her trust.
Soon, they had her calmed down and she showed signs of obedience, and Frankonyte petted her and led her back to their rescue SUV. According to a caption in the video, Frankonyte named the stray Hanako “in honor of her own dog who had just passed away.”
After scanning her, the pair of rescuers found that Hanako had a microchip. “Maybe it will be a nice happy Christmas reunion,” Frankonyte said hopefully. Sadly, it wasn’t the case.
At the animal hospital, they learned what had happened. As it turned out, a woman had adopted both Hanako and her sister to avoid them getting euthanized. The woman told Hope for Paws that after the adoption, she gave both dogs away to strangers and had no idea “who or where they were.” She then signed away Hanako to the rescue.
The clip then shows a happy and newly bathed Hanako snuggling with Frankonyte. So affectionate, especially for a dog that only hours earlier was starving and afraid living by the freeway!
The touching video ends with the two rescuers visiting Luna at her new home. The clip shows her playing and running around with another little dog, Max. Luna looks happy and healthy and so different from the emaciated pup they first came across months earlier.
