Senior Dog Saved from Filth-Filled 'House of Horrors’ Finds the Loving Home 'She's Always Deserved'
Twelve-year-old Chessie, who recently learned she has terminal cancer, was adopted by a family from the Pennsylvania SPCA
After a long road, a 12-year-old dog has finally found a loving forever home.
According to a series of Facebook posts by the Pennsylvania SPCA, an animal shelter in Philadelphia, the wide-eyed boxer-Weimaraner mix Chessie was adopted in early December by an affectionate owner who was excited to welcome the senior dog into a "home full of love."
Chessie's journey to safety wasn't easy. In a Facebook post in mid-October, the shelter recounted the pup's harrowing tale: After receiving a community complaint from local law enforcement officials, the shelter's Animal Law Enforcement team investigated what they believed to be an incident of "dogs and cats living in disrepair."
"When we went to check it out, it was worse than we could have imagined," the shelter wrote, calling the animals' living conditions a "house of horrors" — "filled with trash, excrement, barely any food or water, and heartbreakingly, several deceased animals."
The shelter rescued five cats, two pigeons, and two dogs from the scene — Chessie among them. When the pup arrived at Pennsylvania SPCA's headquarters, she needed immediate medical attention. Chessie was suffering from a "severe" flea infestation and several mammary masses at the time. "She was so very nervous during her examination that she had to be sedated to get the full picture," the shelter wrote.
Under the medical supervision of the Pennsylvania SPCA, Chessie slowly recovered, "gaining both confidence and comfort," according to the shelter. Dozens of commenters cheered her on, too, thanking the shelter for its life-saving care. Even Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella and podcast host Jason Myrtetus shared the love, encouraging the team's fans to help Chessie find a new home.
But then came a heartbreaking twist: The shelter discovered Chessie had an aggressive, terminal cancer — which it said "shook us to our core."
Still, the tragic news didn't stop Chessie from finding her happy ending last week, when "an incredible adopter came to the shelter, arms open wide, offering her a place to spend her final weeks or months, surrounded by love and peace," the Pennsylvania SPCA's Main Line Animal Rescue (MLAR) wrote in a Dec. 8 Facebook update.
"Not all heroes wear capes; some simply show up with hearts full of compassion for an old dog in need," MLAR added of the adopter.
The commenters following Chessie’s story from the beginning also sent an outpouring of love to the pup’s new owner.
“An angel on earth came to her rescue. May her remaining days be filled with all the comfort and love she should have had her whole life 💖” posted one.
Said another: "Sitting in Maine crying happy tears. Thank you to everyone who had a hand in Chessie's journey."
The Pennslyvania SPCA also thanked Chessie's new family and the community support for supporting the senior dog.
"Chessie is now finally getting to experience the life she's always deserved in a home full of love," the shelter shared on Dec. 9.
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