When Stewart was found in the woods of rural Georgia, he had a heavy chain attached to his collar, and the other end was tied to a tree. The weight of the chain was compounded by the thick leather belt that was used as his collar.
His owner left him there without any food or water, and it was very visible in his skinny body that he didn’t eat regularly. It was easy to deduce that the poor pup wasn’t shown any affection and rarely had any human interaction.
When rescuers freed him, he didn’t show any aggression or happiness, he just completely shut down. He was then brought right to the Whitfield County Animal Shelter.
Heartbreaking situation
Once the terrified dog arrived at the shelter, he was placed inside a kennel and given some food. But because he shut himself down, he merely sat on one corner, motionless. Stewart just kept on staring at the floor.
He refused to eat and acknowledge anyone. It was as if he couldn’t see or hear anything. Anytime someone tries to get close or touch him, he would start growling.
They couldn’t even remove the heavy belt from his neck. It was a very heartbreaking situation.
The shelter staff didn’t want to force him, so they left him alone for four days. They just gave him some food and water. But they knew that if this continued, he wouldn’t have the chance to rehabilitate and get adopted in the future.
A new dog
Stewart had to undergo a physical checkup, so they brought him to a local vet. They gave him anesthesia so that he won’t act up, and they could also neuter him. They were able to remove his collar then.
That proved to be the turning point. Once the collar was removed, he transformed into a new dog. It was as if the collar was prohibiting him from being happy, a reminder of his sad past.
Bit by bit, Stewart came out of his shell. He started interacting with humans and has learned to receive and give love. In a couple of months, he found his forever home.
Source: SNARR Northeast via Facebook
