Starved Puppy Has Nearly QUADRUPLED In Size… And Found Her Forever Home Thanks To YOU!

We have excited news about Wallaby! Wallaby has found a forever home! This little Shepherd has beaten the odds: she has grown to a healthy 34 pounds and found a forever home. It's all thanks to your support right here on CUDDLY.

Wallaby's journey began with heartbreak. A case manager at her home grew alarmed when she stopped growing for months, became dangerously thin, and then suddenly couldn't walk. When Animal Control arrived, they found a puppy who was nothing but skin and bones and struggling to stand. Even so, she was still trying to wag her tail and greet everyone, as if she was just happy someone had finally come. She was seized from her owner and came to us in early April. Even in that condition, she was still trusting, still trying and still hoping…

We soon learned why her body had broken down so badly. Wallaby had reportedly been fed a "raw diet" made up mostly of raw vegetables, given only every few days. She had no proper protein, no calcium and nothing her growing body needed. When veterinarians took X-rays, they first thought the machine was malfunctioning, because her bones were so depleted that they looked nearly transparent. The machine wasn't broken. Wallaby's bones had become dangerously fragile, and the X-rays also revealed fractures on both sides of her pelvis.

Because all of this happened during critical stages of growth, Wallaby is permanently stunted and has angular limb deformities that give her a little "ballerina prance" when she walks. Her recovery had to be handled with great care. She started a closely monitored refeeding plan, because feeding a severely starved body too quickly can be dangerous. She was also placed on strict exercise restrictions so her fractures could heal safely.

And Wallaby responded beautifully. Pound by pound, she grew stronger. Before long she was scampering after toys and prancing around, making friends with everyone she met. So much of her development had been interrupted that she acted younger than her age, but she was unbelievably sweet. Watching her heal was the kind of thing that breaks your heart and heals it at the same time.

Then came the moment we had been hoping for all along. Wallaby now weighs a healthy 34 pounds, nearly four times what she weighed when she came to us. She is doing great, and she has officially been adopted! From a starving puppy who couldn't even stand to a happy, prancing girl with a family of her own, her transformation is nothing short of remarkable.

Thanks to your contributions and support through CUDDLY, Wallaby received the specialized nutrition, the veterinary care and the time to heal that she needed to reach this happy ending. You gave a puppy who had been given nothing the chance to grow, to play and to be loved. Thank you for standing with Wallaby every step of the way.