Heartbreak on the Fourth of July: Dog Named Freedom Passes Away After Rescue
It was a devastating day for the team at Stray Rescue of St. Louis, as they announced the heartbreaking news that Freedom, a severely injured dog they rescued on Independence Day, has passed away — just one day after his rescue.
In a Facebook post made on July 4th, the organization shared a graphic yet honest update:
“We are sorry this is graphic, but this is our current reality.”
They had found Freedom in an unimaginable state — possibly burned, dragged, or with a substance poured on him. His condition was unclear, but one thing was certain: he was suffering.
“He is free from pain and suffering, free from the horror he has faced, free from the heat, from being terrified and lost… We named him FREEDOM,” the post said.
The rescue community responded with overwhelming support. Over 12,000 people reacted to the post, and more than $15,000 was raised for Stray Rescue’s Stracks Fund, which provides emergency medical care to animals suffering the worst cases of abuse and neglect.
Throughout the day, the team gave updates. By Saturday afternoon, Freedom was still in immense pain. He couldn’t even blink due to the extent of his burns — volunteers had to apply lubricant to his eyes. He was medicated, cleaned, and given a soft place to rest.
“Thank you to the kind woman who found him in her bushes and showed him compassion,” they wrote. “We’ll do everything we can to help him through.”
Sadly, on Sunday morning, Freedom passed away.
In their final update, the rescue team wrote:
“We are unbelievably heartbroken to tell you that Freedom has passed away. We hope he left this world knowing he was loved deeply — not just by us, but by all of you.”
They shared that Freedom had rested comfortably overnight and was finally at peace, feeling more at ease than when he was first found.
His short time with the rescue may have been brief, but it was filled with care, dignity, and love — something he had likely never known until the very end.