Dog left to die in apartment waited on her owners. Then came help, and a tail wag

Miami Herald

2 days ago

A sweet dog in Philadelphia who was abandoned by her owners when they were tossed from their apartment is healing and surrounded by caring people who just want to help.
Not only had Piper been left behind, she was slowly fading away while waiting for her beloved people to come back for her.
'Piper was left to die alone,' the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said in a July 25 Facebook post.
'Imagine being so hungry that your ribs show through your fur. Imagine waiting by the door for someone who isn't coming back. That was Piper's reality reportedly for over two weeks.
'When her owner was evicted, they carefully packed every single belonging – every piece of furniture, every scrap of clothing, every dish and spoon. But they left behind one thing: Piper, their loyal pocket pittie.'
With no one there to care for her or take her away, she could do nothing but wait.
'This sweet girl waited in that empty apartment. No food. No water. And slowly, her little body began to shut down,' the shelter said.
'When our officers were called to the scene in mid-June, Piper was in bad shape. Her tiny frame was skeletal – you could count every rib. She was vomiting, her eyes were infected and weeping, her ears full of painful discharge. Her legs, malformed from a lifetime of poor nutrition, could barely support her.'
But there was still life in her eyes and that will to survive kicked in.
'But the most heartbreaking part? When our officers approached, Piper's tail still wagged. Even after being betrayed by the humans she trusted most, she still had hope,' the shelter said.
'Piper could have died alone in that apartment. Instead, we fought for her, and she fought too. She fought to live.'
Piper is up for adoption and would thrive in a home where she's the only pet.
For more information, visit the shelter's website.