Traumatized And Sickly Dog On Death Row Transforms Beautifully After She Was Adopted By This Angel Of A Woman
When Chelsea Elizabeth Cossairt saw a photo of Clementine online, she did not have long to sit with the decision. The dog was only two days away from being put down, and her condition made the situation even more heartbreaking.
Clementine had been rescued by animal control in Southern California after wandering the streets, and her health problems were serious enough that euthanasia was being considered. Cossairt applied right away, then got the call that changed everything.
What happened after that first meeting turned a sick, traumatized dog into a completely different animal.
“The person at Ginger's Pet Rescue was floored and in tears that we were interested in her,” Cossairt shared.
“She told us that of the hundreds of applications they’d received for dogs in the previous few weeks, not one had been for Clementine.” The volunteer at the shelter informed her that Clementine's health conditions might make her life much more difficult.
But Cossairt decided to help her anyway.
The first meeting between Cossairt and Clementine made it clear to her that the poor dog had never known love in her whole life.
“Clementine was absolutely terrified of people and wouldn’t look anyone in the eyes,” Cossairt said. “She shook all the time, hid behind furniture, and sat facing the wall for months.”
“She had defeated, empty eyes,” she further shared. “She never looked at our faces, and she bowed her head whenever we walked over to her or near her.”
That first impression said a lot about how hard Clementine had already had it.
The positive aspect was that Clementine was not as shy towards her new siblings, Moose and Marple.
This gave Cossairt hope that Clementine might have a chance at life. “She sought comfort in being near them and traveling with them as a pack around the house or yard,” Cossairt explained.
Clementine underwent rigorous treatment over the next few months.
Once she completed the treatment, she started recovering remarkably. The best part was that she had built up the courage to look into her parents' eyes.
Over the span of months, she became close with her mom.
Slowly, the little dog started to show signs that she was settling in.
It’s similar to when an underweight dog collapsed in the road, then got saved and finally thrived.
“She loves to look deeply into our eyes while we pet her, and she’s very attentive when we’re talking to her,” Cossairt shared.
“She’s still wary of new people and sometimes even gets spooked by us if we move too quickly or come up behind her, but she’s come so far.”
With the proper treatment and love she has received at her new home, Clementine has grown into a beautiful creature.
She is very playful and curious, and now she feels safe.
Now Clementine acts like a dog who finally feels safe.
“She lays at our feet when we work from home and loves belly rubs after finally exposing her belly to us for pets last month,” Cossairt said.
“She 'boops' everything in sight — we think it’s her way of exploring and figuring out what things are. She’s so puppy-like that sometimes we wonder if she ever got to be a puppy at all.
She’ll nudge your hand if you’re not petting her or if you stop and she isn’t done yet.”
The personality that Clementine has developed is the total opposite of what she had when she was adopted.
She has become completely comfortable with her new family and has adapted well to her surroundings. Her family is equally crazy about her.
They can't imagine having a life without her. “She’s so sweet and such a gentle girl,” Cossairt said.
“We could tell very early on that she just wants to love and be loved in return. She’s loyal and protective of us, and she follows us around everywhere.”
Clementine's transformation is hard to believe, but it all started with one woman who refused to look away.
Before Clementine’s glow-up, see how rescuers pulled a freezing senior dog from death’s door.
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