Last month, as St. Louis braced for record-breaking cold and a brutal winter storm, everyone hurried indoors to safety. But out on the icy streets, a lone brown-and-white dog had no shelter to run to.
The pup, later named Mac, limped along the frozen sidewalks, shivering with every step, his injured leg slowing him down. He was desperately searching for someone — anyone — who might help.
That’s when he crossed paths with Alisha Vianello.
“My heart immediately sank,” said Vianello, executive director of Gateway Pet Guardians. “I knew that if we didn’t help him, he would absolutely die in the below-freezing temperatures.”
She and fellow staff member Jill Henke quickly pulled over. But before they could even form a plan, Mac made the choice for them — hobbling as fast as he could straight into their arms.
“He has the most beautiful eyes, and his face just looked so relieved,” Vianello said.
Noticing his limp, they carefully lifted him into the car so as not to hurt his injured leg. “He was so loving and trusting and seemed so grateful to get out of the cold,” she added.
Vianello posted a video of Mac’s rescue here:
At the shelter, a veterinarian treated Mac with antibiotics and pain medication, then served him a hearty meal. But Mac had more on his mind than just food.
“He would stop between bites to come back to me for snuggles,” Vianello said with a smile. “He was so hungry but also so eager for love and attention.”
Now safe, warm, and healing, Mac is waiting for his forever family through Gateway Pet Guardians. Vianello knows whoever adopts him will be lucky beyond measure.
“Mac’s personality is pure sugar,” she said. “He’s an amazingly resilient pup.”
If you’d like to give Mac his happily-ever-after, you can find his adoption info on the Gateway Pet Guardians website. And if you want to help other animals survive the winter, consider donating or following the rescue’s work on Instagram and Facebook.
