A "terrified" rescue dog that would have "died from cold and hunger" has finally found a foster home.
Mischa is a mixed breed dog from Romania that was found in a forest back in March 2021. Roughly born around February 2021, the puppy was discovered there with her two siblings.
Paula Biddle, who has been a volunteer at Noah's Ark Dog Rescue in East Anglia, U.K. since March 2022, told Newsweek: "They [Mischa and her siblings] were terrified of humans. If they hadn't of been rescued, they all would of died from cold and hunger in the forest."
After spending two years in kennels, where she got "more scared and started to shut down," Mischa was finally taken into a foster home on October 1. The moment was captured in a video posted on TikTok by the rescue.
A caption shared with the post says: "Remember the video of terrified Mischa? Well she has gone into foster and the difference by the afternoon was amazing. We can't thank the family enough for giving Mischa a chance of a happy life."
The latest dog rescue story comes as each year 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet 'Shelter Watch Report' found.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
While Mischa's siblings had adopters, Mischa was returned to the kennels after a U.K. foster home they'd found for her "didn't work out with the resident dog." She spent about two years in kennels, Biddle said.
As time went on, Mischa "got more scared and started to shut down, she wouldn't come near us at the kennels so we had to do something," Biddle recalled.
The rescue volunteer later posted a couple of TikTok videos about Mischa, one of which was spotted by Trish Edwards who offered to help.
Edwards and her dog Luna came to the kennel to meet Mischa and "decided she couldn't leave her there." Edwards returned the following week to take Mischa home on October 1.
The end of the TikTok clip shows Mischa playing in the garden with another dog on the same afternoon that she was taken to the foster home. "We were all amazed at how different she was" from when she was in kennels, Biddle said.
"Although Mischa, now called Martha by Trish, is terrified of people, we could see the sweet natured girl hiding inside, she had no fear aggression whatsoever. With time and love she is going to be a lovely dog," Biddle added.
Do you have an incredible animal rescue story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
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