Senior Dog Dumped in Plastic Bag on Roadside Makes Recovery, Finds New Home

(Courtesy of Dorothy Bradshaw via The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth)

A senior dog that was dumped in a plastic bag by the side of the road has recovered from her shocking ordeal.

With the much-needed help of a shelter, a phenomenal donation drive, and the perfect forever home, senior pug Mildred can now live out the rest of her days in comfort.

Mildred was found in Listowel, in Ontario, Canada, by The Humane Society of Kitchener-Waterloo and Stratford Perth. The senior dog was in very poor condition, and the team took her in for urgent care.

(Courtesy of The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth)

Mildred needed multiple surgeries, including dental work, the removal of several benign mammary tumors, and a spay, the animal-protection organization said in a statement. The roughly 12-year-old dog also had severely overgrown toenails and untreatable chronic hip dislocations owing to years of neglect.

The dog will need a modified lifestyle and pain medication for the rest of her life.

Staffers named the brave pug Mildred, an Old English name meaning “gentle strength,” and started a fundraiser for her mounting medical bills. The fund raised an incredible $15,996, far surpassing its $5,000 goal.

(Courtesy of The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth)

Mildred recovered in a foster home for two months. Fosterer Jennifer Ledlow described the sweet pup as “somewhat of a local celebrity,” according to the statement.

“[She] gets recognized all the time. She loves meeting new people and new dogs,” Ledlow said, encouraging others to join the rescue group’s fostering.

The Humane Society’s Linzi Bahat told CTV News Kitchener that the shelter got nine applicants even after Mildred was taken down from the website’s adoption page.

Experienced senior dog carer Dorothy Bradshaw had been transfixed by Mildred’s story since reading about her rescue in July. A week after adopting Millie, Bradshaw said that the senior pup had been stuck to her like glue.

“Overall she’s doing really, really good,” Bradshaw said. “It’s been fun.”

(Courtesy of Dorothy Bradshaw via The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth)

But Bradshaw, with her experience, enthusiasm, and lowkey lifestyle, was the perfect fit. On Oct. 1, an advocate for adopting hard-to-home senior dogs, Bradshaw collected Mildred, whom she affectionately calls “Millie.”

“She’s been sleeping on my bed, eating her dinner, and begging for treats so it’s been really, really easy,” Bradshaw told CBC News, adding that the experience was similar to caring for her last senior dog, who passed away in 2019.

“I think it’s really nice to adopt senior dogs, especially rescues. They just want a level of comfort ... and I thought I could give her a good home for however long she has left,” Bradshaw said.

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