While driving through a quiet neighborhood, a couple noticed a lonely dog chained up near the road. She looked defeated — curled up next to a small doghouse, isolated and still.
Though they kept going, the image of her sad eyes lingered in their minds. They turned the car around.
After asking neighbors about her, they learned the heartbreaking truth: her owners had passed away from COVID-19 three years earlier. Since then, she’d been living alone, tied outside.
The couple learned that the owners' son rarely visited the house, and a yard worker had been stopping by every few days just to leave food and water.
Other than that, the dog had been completely on her own — for three long years.
The son had apparently been hoping to rehome her but assumed no one would want a dog in her condition. The couple, however, didn’t hesitate.
“We asked if we could take her, and he gave us the go-ahead without hesitation,” they shared on TikTok.
They named her Xena — a warrior’s name for a dog who had survived unthinkable neglect. Though timid and hesitant at first, Xena eventually allowed them to coax her into their car with a little food.
She was severely underweight, covered in fleas and ticks, and bore the scars of years spent exposed to the elements.
Arriving at her new home, Xena was unsure but curious. She slowly warmed up as she met her new canine siblings. That night, she got her first real bath in years — the beginning of shedding the life she had once known.
“She is such a gentle soul, and you could see in her eyes how she trusted us,” the couple wrote.
At the vet, Xena was calm and cooperative. The staff gave her medication and a care plan to restore her health. With love, patience, and consistent care, Xena began to blossom — not just physically, but emotionally too.
Then came a milestone moment: her first trip to the beach.
“We watched her run for the first time,” the couple said. “She kept tripping over her legs — it was adorable. It was such an incredible moment to see her run free.”
Xena didn’t stray far. Throughout the outing, she kept her eyes on her new family, never letting them out of her sight. It was clear she understood she’d finally found her forever people — and she wasn’t about to let them go.
To follow Xena’s journey, visit her TikTok page.
If you’d like to support her continued care, donations can be made to her GoFundMe.
