Left Behind and Starving, This Dog Defied the Odds — And Found His Forever Family
The dog named Bones was barely alive when help finally arrived. Without that rescue, the 3-year-old pit bull mix likely wouldn’t have survived.
In early November, police officers were distributing eviction notices in a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood when a group of kids told them about a dog sitting alone in a pen outside an abandoned house.
“The renters had moved out and left him behind — no food, no water, just a pen,” said Tracey Godin, co-founder of Feeling Fine Rescue in Loxahatchee, Florida.
“When officers asked the kids how long he’d been there, they said at least a week.”
But from the state of his body, it was clear Bones had likely been starving for much longer.
On the Brink of Death
“He hadn’t had proper nourishment in months,” Tracey explained.
“That final stage of starvation probably happened just the week before he was found.”
Animal control was called, and Bones was taken to a local shelter — where a volunteer snapped some photos and sent them to Tracey. The moment she saw the pictures, she was in shock.
“It took my breath away,” she said. “I didn’t understand how he was even alive. I started crying immediately.”
Tracey and her daughter, Micaela, picked him up from the shelter the very next day and rushed him to a vet.
“I Didn’t Think He Was Going to Make It”
Bones was so weak, he couldn’t even walk. At the vet’s parking lot, he collapsed after taking just one step.
“He weighed only 30 pounds, when he should have weighed 65,” Tracey said.
“He was severely dehydrated and anemic. His skull was visible, his muscles were gone, and his eyes were sunken.
I don’t think he would have made it another day.”
The Start of a Miracle
Once Bones was strong enough to leave the clinic, he was brought home to Feeling Fine Rescue, which Tracey and Micaela run together. What happened next amazed them both.
“He gained 10 pounds in a week,” Tracey shared.
“In two weeks, he hit 50 pounds. And by the end of that weekend, he was a healthy 65 pounds.
You could literally see the difference in him every single day.”
As his body healed, his spirit did too. Bones began to smile, and his eyes filled with life and trust.
A Loving Dog with a Heart of Gold
“It’s incredible to see how a dog can suffer so much and still be ready to love and trust people,” said Micaela.
“From the moment we met him, he was gentle, sweet, and full of love.”
Then, in late December, a miracle happened again: A loving family looking to adopt their third dog met Bones.
“They fell in love with him immediately,” Tracey said.
“They visited multiple times and even did a meet-and-greet with their two dogs and their two young children.”
Bones fit right in. Within two weeks, he was placed with them on a foster-to-adopt basis. But just days later, the family called back.
“‘We love him even more than we did when we first met him,’ they told me. ‘We want to keep him forever.’”
Tracey was moved to tears. “I couldn’t imagine a better home for him.”
Bones Finally Knows He’s Safe
From starving and alone to safe and adored — Bones beat the odds. And now, in his forever home, he seems to know just how lucky he is.
His journey is a powerful reminder of the resilience of animals, the kindness of rescuers, and the healing power of love.