The rescuers weren’t sure what they were looking at at first.
From a distance, it looked like a small, shaking figure tied to a tree near the edge of the woods. But as they got closer, their hearts broke.
It was a dog—wounded, terrified, and covered in marker scribbles.
His fur was matted with dirt and blood. His body bore signs of neglect: open sores, visible ribs, and infected scratches. But what left the team speechless was the black and red ink marks crudely drawn all over his back, head, and legs.
“It was as if someone used him as a toy or a canvas,” said a spokesperson from the local animal rescue group.
“And then they just tied him to a tree… and left.”
No food. No water. No chance to escape.
The dog had been tethered with a thick rope—tight enough to restrict movement, but not so tight as to cause immediate injury. It was deliberate.
There was no sign of food or water nearby. Based on the state of his body, veterinarians estimated he had been there for at least two days, exposed to the elements, completely alone.
What broke everyone’s heart the most wasn’t just the injuries.
It was the look in his eyes: not angry, not aggressive—just broken.
Healing begins
He was immediately taken in by the local humane society and given a name: Chance.
At the clinic, Chance received fluids, antibiotics, and pain medication. The ink took days to wash away. Some of it had seeped into his irritated skin.
But once the physical wounds began to heal, something even more powerful started to emerge—trust.
“Despite everything, Chance still wags his tail. He leans into our touch.
He wants to believe in people again,” one volunteer said.
Justice and hope
The rescue organization has filed a report with animal control and is asking the public for information about who left Chance tied up.
“This was intentional. Cruel. Humiliating,” the shelter wrote in a social media post.
“We want justice for him.”
Meanwhile, Chance is safe, loved, and slowly recovering.
He’s started short walks, learned how to play again, and is expected to make a full recovery.
Soon, once he’s strong enough, Chance will be ready for adoption.
“After all he’s endured, he deserves a family who will never tie him up, never hurt him, and never treat him like anything less than family.”
He had no voice—but now, he has people to speak for him.
Chance won’t be forgotten. And one day soon, he’ll be home.