"DOG IN BOAT"
On September 10th when Best Friends rescue workers were on the Interstate heading back to the Best Friends/St. Francis Animal Sanctuary, they noticed a small boat on the side of the expressway.
But that isnít what caught their eye. It was the red spray-painted writing on the side of the vessel, which read, "DOG IN BOAT."
They pulled over in their van. Sure enough, hiding inside the boat near the outboard motor was a dog, a young white pit bull. Besides the writing on the boat, the person had left the dog a bag of dry food. Unfortunately, diesel fuel from the motor had spilled into the hull and saturated not only the food, but the dog.
"She was sunburned with blisters and covered in diesel," said Best Friends staff member Kit Boggio. "I talked quietly to her and just picked her up in my arms."
The rescue team took her to the St. Francis sanctuary, along with 40 other animals. In four days, her condition has dramatically improved.
"After 72 hours, she's had a bath, a lot of her sun blisters are healing. She had her first chewy. She looks and feels great."
On September 14th, the dog, who is now named Diesel, was moved from the triage area she's been staying at to a kennel area ìwhere sheíll have her own ëapartment,í Boggio said. "We're going to tuck her in."
Cathy Scott at St. Francis
Photos by Troy Snow, Best Friends Animal Society
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