A true animal lover like Judy Obregon from Texas was put to test one day, about eight years ago. She was driving near Echo Lake in Fort Worth when she saw a stray dog. Then she saw another stray, and another, and others more… A lake in Texas became the terrible place where owners dumped unwanted pets and left them to starve and die. But Judy couldn’t close her eyes and drive ahead. So, she stopped and saved her first dog.
Eight years later, she kept coming back to save more puppies. That’s when she spotted a 6-month-old dog, crying and walking a little weird…
20. Gaining Their Trust
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With her first dog rescued, Obregon had to win his trust and it took her one week of feeding until he accepted to go with her. This puppy she now saw was scared too, but really happy to go away from that place!
19. Not All Stories End Well
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Most of her rescues have all healed up and have new homes. Since her first rescues, Obregon saved 300 dogs and found them loving homes. But among the ones she could save, there were many hopeless cases…
18. Left for Dead
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After she saw so many dead dogs in that area, Obregon couldn’t bear it. So she started a rescue organization to save dogs and give them a second chance. You won’t believe what people did after that…
17. People Reached Out
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The week Obregon first saved the first dog was eventful, she said: ‘Other people in the area started coming up to me about other dogs that they’d seen. They gave me locations of dogs that had been dumped’. Everyone was worried…
16. The Abandoned Ones Animal Rescue
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And that’s how The Abandoned Ones Animal Rescue was born in Texas. It was a wakeup call for people to stop abandoning pets or to help with anything they could to save the dogs that were left to die.
15. Finding Callie
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A little dog was found at the ‘dumping site’ and she had a shoelace wrapped around the neck. She was tied to a fence and had clearly been tied up and left for dead. You won’t believe what she did when she saw her rescuer…
14. She Could Barely Walk
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As soon as Obregon saw the pup moving in the grass, she pulled over. And with a little whistle, Obregon convinced the pup to come over: ‘She walks up to me and puts her head in between my legs’. The poor pup was limping…
13. Crying
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The little puppy was crying, just like all puppies do when they are left alone. And when Obregon got there, the pup finally got someone to snuggle with. You could see that this was someone’s pet… Callie was now safe. The pup’s reaction is amazing!
12. Filming the Pup’s Reaction
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All the rescue scenes were filmed by Obregon, who then took a few photos of the pooch she named Callie. Little did the rescuer know that she would also get a little thank you from the pooch.
11. Tiny Kisses
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Callie gave the woman a little kiss on the cheek and left her past behind. She would soon get to a vet and see if the pooch needed any medical assistance. Then, it was only a matter of time before they found a foster parent…
10. Thinking Back to That Time
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Obregon knew that Callie was left there by someone because the pup was tied to the fence: ‘The saddest part is that even when she broke free of the string, she still stayed in the same spot, as if waiting for the people who left her there’…
9. Not Coming Back
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When they got to the vet, they checked if Callie had a microchip and she didn’t have any. She turned out to be healthy and with a big appetite! The woman’s words will leave you in tears.
8. Forgiving Anyone
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Obregon said that ‘Dogs like this make me cry all the time’… Then she continues explaining: ‘They are just so forgiving. I can see it in her eyes.’ We all wonder how they find the power to carry on and trust people again…
7. Getting Surgery
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After checking if Callie was fine, they scheduled the pup for a spay and then took her to a foster home. In her foster home, this little furry girl found a loving mommy and also a few furry siblings!
6. Taking a Nap
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There, Callie learned from Tara Webb, the foster mommy, how to be house and leash trained. Callie learned to socialize with other dogs and how to be a good girl. On the rescue’s Facebook page, there was an update on Callie…
5. Finding a Home
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‘After rescue, I found a loving foster home Tara Webb who helped me learn lots of new things THANK YOU FOSTER HERO. I really love my rescue family!’, said a photo description showing a happy Callie who was looking for a forever home.
4. A Lucky Girl
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And we cannot stop grinning, seeing Callie all happy and eager to get to a home where people would enjoy her happy wags and her eager behavior. Perhaps hope and optimism kept her alive in those difficult times.
3. A Sleepover
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Callie was taken to a family for a trial night and a Facebook update said: ‘My sleepover turned forever … Super Exciting !! My new mommy and daddy have adopted from TAO before and are clients at one of our vets.’
2. My New Family
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On Callie’s photo description also wrote: ‘My new family, thank you for opening your heart and home to not one but two TAO doggies!!’ That is because Callie has other doggies to play with in her new home. Here is Callie this year in April!
1. ‘Every Animal Matters’
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Obregon’s motto for her rescue is ‘every animal matters’ and her purpose is not only to rescue animals, but to also educate people from everywhere: ‘to avoid these circumstances. I don’t think I can stop until I make a change in the area or make a big impact.’
And we’re so happy that Obregon is relentless. We can all help her with donations, being a foster or volunteer. Or we can just spread the word, because ‘every animal matters!’