Dog Thrown Into Tar Pit Left To Die Makes An Incredible Recovery Thanks To Her Rescuers
A dog who had been left to face certain death in the Chilean desert has learned the very worst of human cruecátlty — but also the incredible power of compassion.
While driving off-road near their home in Antofagasta, Chile, Jhonny Alquinta and his son made a horrifying discovery. In the middle of the barren landscape, one of several tar pits shimmered in the sun — and inside it, a dog was struggling to stay alive.
Without hesitation, the father and son called for help and waded in to save her.
“She was covered head to toe in tar,” rescuers later said. “If they hadn’t found her when they did, she would have drowned.”
With immense effort, they managed to pull the dog from the thick sludge before it was too late. But one look made it clear — this wasn’t an accident.
Someone had tied her inside a sack and thrown her into the pit.
The men rushed her to a local veterinary clinic, where staff feared she might not survive the toxic exposure. But no one gave up.
Working tirelessly, the team began the painstaking process of removing the tar from her fur and skin. It took more than four hours of scrubbing, cleaning, and rinsing before the little dog began to reemerge — weak, but alive.
“She was exhausted, but she never stopped fighting,” said one of the veterinarians.
When the last of the tar was finally gone, the team named her Quitrán — the Spanish word for tar — as a symbol of her resilience.
Now safe in recovery, Quitrán is stable, eating well, and even smiling again. Her rescuers say she’s showing incredible spirit despite the cruelty she endured.
Authorities are currently investigating who’s responsible for the horrific act.
In the meantime, Quitrán remains under the loving care of the clinic staff — and once she’s fully healed, she’ll be placed for adoption into a family that will finally give her the gentle, happy life she deserves.
After being thrown away and left to die, Quitrán is proof that kindness can still rise above cruelty.