When I first laid eyes on her, my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. She was lying helplessly in a cardboard box on the cold, unfeeling street, her small body curled up in defeat. Tears streamed down her face, and in that moment, I knew I had to help her. It felt like a knife in my soul—I could sense her pain and desperation, as if all hope had left her world.
As I carefully opened the box, something incredible happened. She started to crawl toward me, as if pleading, “Please, don’t leave me again.” Her eyes were filled with a heartbreaking mixture of fear and hope, silently begging for a second chance at life. She was sobbing quietly, barely able to move, yet still trying to reach out. It was clear that she had been through something horrific.
She was so weak—too weak to stand on her own. Every time she tried, her fragile body collapsed. I didn’t know what had happened to her. Maybe she had been beaten, or maybe she was born with some defect and cruelly abandoned when someone realized she wasn’t perfect. But whatever her past held, it was obvious she was suffering and needed help immediately.
I rushed her to Moscow to get the best treatment possible. The vet’s findings were devastating. Not only was she physically broken, but her brain had also been injured. She was born with a fragile skull, and someone had kicked her, leaving her in this terrible condition. The blood tests revealed a severe lack of basic nutrition. Maybe her mother hadn’t been fed well, which affected her milk. And then, the ultrasound revealed something shocking—stones lodged in her tiny stomach. Our poor little Alice had been so hungry that she had eaten stones just to survive.
But as time went on, Alice began to improve. Slowly but surely, she started standing on her own and even managed to walk, albeit unsteadily. Her determination filled us with hope. The vet re-examined her and gave us the incredible news: her skull had become stronger, and there was no lasting brain damage. Alice had transformed into a beautiful, smart, and loving dog.
She had gained 800 grams, her coat became thick and shiny, and her tail wagged joyfully every time she saw us. Finally, the vet gave us permission to take her home. Today, Alice is leaving the vet for the last time. As I carry her in my arms, she curls up against me like a baby, content and secure.
Alice has come such a long way from that helpless puppy in a cardboard box. Now, she is looking for her forever home—a place where she will be loved and cared for, as she deserves. Her journey has been filled with pain and uncertainty, but she never gave up, and neither did we. Every dog deserves a second chance, and Alice’s story is a testament to the resilience of hope and love.