People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is celebrating a startling rescue after helping to save a dog trapped inside a building wall for over a month.
The dog Wally's previous owners abandoned him at their home in the Philippines. When that happened, PETA suspects, Wally was scared and hid inside, where it was cooler than the hot temperatures outside. The building was then sealed up without anyone realizing the dog was inside. That is, until new tenants moved in and heard barking a month later.
On February 23, local officers called PETA's Asia team for assistance. The team responded the same day to rescue Wally. It took about three hours to get him out, which involved destroying the wall, Colleen O'Brien, PETA's senior vice president of media, Relations, told Newsweek. Everyone was shocked to hear that Wally survived so long while inside a wall.
"Poor Wally was at first growling and terrified, but when he caught sight of PETA Asia's rescuer, he instantly started wagging his tail," O'Brien said.
Wally was extremely hungry and severely dehydrated, with open wounds on his face and paws from trying to free himself. O'Brien said the team believes he survived only by "drinking water from an open drainage channel." He also suffered from a tick-borne bacterium of the genus Ehrlichia, which can cause fever, bleeding, poor appetite and lethargy. Ehrlichiosis can be fatal if not treated.
The team immediately transferred him to a veterinarian clinic where he stayed for a week. Wally received IV fluids, antibiotics and nutritious food during his time.
Now, he is getting the love and treatment he always wanted. Wally is living with a foster family. The dog is very anxious about loud noises, but the foster family is working with him on it, O'Brien said. Wally is up for adoption in Manila.
In a statement, PETA Director of Media Relations Moira Colley said: "This poor dog not only suffered the heartbreak and confusion of being left behind by his family but also spent weeks trapped behind a wall, barking desperately for help and struggling to escape. PETA urges everyone to come to the aid of animals in need—or to call someone who can help."
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