COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — Hope, the puppy rescued from Cocke County after being found with terrible chemical burns in early March, is now thriving in a new home, according to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue.
The Asheville, North Carolina based rescue group said it was one of the most horrific cases of animal cruelty that it had ever seen.
Hope was found in abandoned in a Newport parking lot and was immediately transported to Brother Wolf. The puppy required around the clock care for several weeks in order to recover, with careful attention to keeping her wounds clean and her pain management.
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Brother Wolf Veterinarian Dr. Megan McAndrew fostered Hope in her home. Through the generosity of the community, Brother Wolf was able to fund several necessary surgeries for Hope and she slowly began to heal, according to the rescue group.
Brother Wolf said Hope was a fighter and found a new home with Knoxville resident Jim Carter. He heard about Hope from his Veterinarian shortly after her discovery and knew right away that Hope belonged in his family.
The rescue group said Carter kept in touch daily, receiving updates and making sure that Hope knew he was waiting on the other side of her recovery.
He adopted Hope on April 3, about a month after she arrived at the shelter.
"This little lady is flat out unbelievable,” Carter said. “She loves to play and if she is not playing all she wants is affection.”
According to Brother Wolf, Hope’s painful past is a distant memory as she spends her time romping with her canine siblings, snuggling with her new dad and enjoying her favorite pink bed.
“I could not ask for a better baby. She is very, very rare and I cannot believe how smart she is,” Carter said.
Brother Wolf said Hope’s story was a win in the difficult battle they fight to save animals every day.
“Hope’s story is miraculous," executive director Leah Craig Fieser said. "She is an example of the terrible cruelty animals sometimes face but she also shows us how lives can be forever changed when a community comes together to make a difference.”
Brother Wolf is grateful for donations to help animals like Hope, and is currently running a Matching Gift challenge, where every dollar donated is doubled.