When authorities pulled up to a North Carolina gas station after receiving an emergency call, they were devastated at what they found.
A black and white pitbull puppy was laying on the ground, critically injured.
They were committed to saving this pup and knew they had to move fast.
Keep reading to find out what happened to this sweet girl next!
In the Nick of Time
The first responders showed up to the scene without a moment to spare.
What they saw broke their hearts.
A little pitbull girl, not even a year old, had been shot by some cruel human and was now laying there in pain, unable to move.
They immediately administered emergency care while they put her in the car and rushed her off to the emergency vet.
Her wound was very serious, but they hoped she would pull through.
Safe and Sound
While at the emergency vet, they called Hope Animal Rescue to see if they could take this girl in, assuming she recovered.
Hope was more than willing to lend this girl a helping hand.
It was a close one, but the experienced vets at the hospital managed to save the puppy.
The worst was behind her now, but that didn’t mean the road was about to get easy.
Road to Recovery
Once she entered Hope’s care, she was named Sugar because of her sweet demeanor.
The rescue helped Sugar every step of the way during her recovery.
They placed her with a foster named Margot, who made sure that Sugar got all the love and rest she needed during her recovery.
Ironically, this proved slightly difficult because Sugar was very impatient to get back to playing!
But, Margot was able to help Sugar rest just enough to strike a balance between recovery and play time.
Now that she had healed, Sugar was ready to get spayed and start looking for a forever home!
On the Road Again
While Sugar was at the vet for her spay surgery, Margot needed to take in another foster.
So, after leaving the vet, Sugar went to a new foster named Josh.
The sweet girl took these changes in stride, seeing it all as a new adventure.
“The first day she came into my house, she was sweet as can be,” Josh said. “They dropped her off and Sugar practically somersaulted in my arms and started to snuggle.”
It seemed to Josh that Sugar was excited to see where the next leg of her adventure would take her.
A Whole New World
Now that she had recovered fully from both her surgeries, Sugar was able to let her full personality shine.
She proved to be a very bubbly, energetic goof ball.
“I had assumed because of her past trauma, she might be a little wary of humans,” Josh said. “But, she proved me wrong. She’s loved every guest that’s come by.”
Sugar loved new people and new experiences, but some things seemed to be a little overwhelming for her.
“We’re not sure what her past was like, but it seems she was forced to be very independent at a young age,” Josh suggested. “She is very alert to everything around her, and sometimes seems to take too much of it in at once.”
While she may not have been given the resources to relax in the past, Josh knew that with Hope’s help, they’d give Sugar everything she needed.
Back to School
Hope gave Josh a number of resources and set Sugar up with a few training sessions.
“Sugar loves anything food related, and she’s pretty smart,” Josh shared. “So, she caught on to so many things really quickly.”
Sugar was loving her training, and not just because of the treats; it seemed she genuinely enjoyed learning new things.
“She’s also amazing in her crate,” Josh said. “She’ll go to her crate whenever she’s asked, and seems to enjoy having her own space.”
When they aren’t training or playing, Sugar’s favorite thing to do is snuggle.
As Sugar was living it up every day, Hope was working behind the scenes hoping she’d get noticed by the right adopters.
Looking for Love
Weeks turned into months as Hope waited for the right family to find Sugar.
However, the sweet girl has been with Hope for almost a year now and hardly anyone has shown interest in her.
“Sadly, black dogs, especially pitties, are statistically overlooked,” Josh mentioned. “It breaks my heart too because I know Sugar would make someone so happy.”
While it may be unfair that Sugar hasn’t gotten the attention she deserves, she nevertheless has been so patient waiting for her forever home.
She’s continued to learn more and more, and even went through a 3 week training class to further prepare her to impress her future family.
The Best of Both Worlds
Sugar still has a bit of trouble controlling her excitement, but she has so much to offer beyond that.
“She’s really the best of both worlds in a lot of ways,” Josh said. “We have a lot of fun going swimming or hiking, and then we’ll crash hard snuggling on the couch when we get home.”
Some of her other favorite activities include snacking, car rides, tug of war, scavenger hunts, and smelling new smells.
The world is Sugar’s oyster, and she can’t wait for someone to come along who wants to share that with her.
If you or someone you know is looking for a bubbly canine companion, head to Sugar’s adoption page and fill out an application!
Click here to follow Hope Animal Rescue to see all the other amazing pups they have looking for homes!